Bible Study

The Gift of Eternal Life Berean Bible Study Course

Part II--The Process Of Reconciliation With God

F. Lesson 12--We Must Be Faithful In Serving The Lord

7. READ: EPHESIANS 5:1-10

b. What things are improper for God's people?

Answer: Some of the things that are improper for God's holy people are:

• Sexual immorality--we should not even have a hint of it, (verse 3):

1 Corinthians 6:18-20: "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

• Any kind of impurity, or of greed, which God classifies as idolatry, (verse 3):

Again, not even a hint of these should be in our lives.

Colossians 3:5: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry."

• Obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking because they are out of place. We should, rather, have our speech filled with thanksgiving, (verse 4).

Ephesians 4:29: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

And James 3:3-12 says of the tongue: "When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."