What is the connection between offering thanksgiving and avoiding sexual sin in Ephesians 5?
E.g. in Ephesians 5:3-4 God shows Christians how powerful gratitude can be as a weapon in the fight against pornography: But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving (emphasis added)
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Billy P Eldred
Supporter
In Ephesians 4 and 5 Paul is discipling the Ephesians and teaching them to grow in Christ. In doing so he is instructing them how to maintain a good witness in order to fulfill their calling to Christ in addition to the good works they are called to perform. As a part of maintaining their reputation he is instructing them in both what they should be doing as well as what they should avoid. Therefore the connection between sexual sin and offering thanksgiving is that avoiding any hint of sexual sin and offering thanksgiving are both important to maintaining a good witness.
Shirley H
Supporter
Ephesians 5:1 remarks that believers are to be imitators of God, as his dearly loved children. The culture of Ephesus at that time embraced all forms of immorality. As a child of God, that type of behavior is unacceptable. Think, would Jesus conduct himself that way? We are to put aside our obscene behavior. We are not to laugh over things that should make us cry! We must not adopt a non-Christian lifestyle and expect that we will have an inheritance above! Do not be deceived! God's wrath is coming. We are to be "peculiar," "different." We are not to partner with worldly behavior. We see now through a glass darkly. But we know how to honor God. Let us be examples and gather more people for the Kingdom!
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