Not Even a Hint (Ephesians 5:3)

What does it mean for a Christian to live a holy life? In Ephesians 5:3, the apostle Paul gives one of the most striking commands in the New Testament: there should not even be a hint of sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among believers.

In this Bible study, Nathan Johnson examines Paul’s powerful instruction and explains how the life of a Christian should be radically different from the culture around us.

As citizens of God’s Kingdom, our lives are meant to reflect the holiness, purity, and righteousness of our King.

In this message, discover why Paul calls believers to a life that stands in stark contrast to the world and how the gospel empowers us to pursue true holiness in everyday life. If you want to understand what biblical purity looks like and why God calls His people to such a high standard, this study of Ephesians 5:3 will help you grasp the beauty and seriousness of living with “not even a hint” of sin.

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Key Passage: Ephesians 4:1-3

Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
– Ephesians 4:1–3

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Footnote Reference ⁽¹⁾

The Great Kingdom Contrast

• Kingdom of God vs Kingdom of the World

• Colossians 1:13– Who rescued us from the authority of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son of His love …

Living According to the Character of the Kingdom

• Galatians 5:16–17– But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you do not do the things that you want.

• Kingdom of the World

• Galatians 5:19–21– Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

• Kingdom of God

• Galatians 5:22–25– But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in step with the Spirit.

• Kingdom of the World

• Ephesians 2:1–3 – And you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all also formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

• Kingdom of God

• Ephesians 2:4–8 – But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God …

• Kingdom of the World

• Ephesians 4:17–20– Therefore this I say, and testify in the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their mind, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart. And they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way—

• Kingdom of God

• Ephesians 4:22–24– [Therefore] lay aside, in reference to your former conduct, the old man, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and to put on the new man, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

• Put off world / Put on Christ

• 4:25 – Lying / Truth 

• 4:26–27 – Anger motivated by self / Anger motivated by love 

• 4:28 – Stealing / Work 

• 4:29 – Unwholesome language / Edification 

• 4:30 – Do not grieve the HS / Honor and obey 

• 4:31–32 – Bitterness, Anger, Wrath, Shouting, Slander, Malice / Kindness, tender-heartedness, forgiveness 

• Kingdom Contrast in Ephesians 5

• Ephesians 5:1–3– Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints …

Paul’s Reasoning

• Ephesians 5:3– … must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints …

• SAINTS (hagios) – holy ones, saints

• People whose lives have been set apart, dedicated, and consecrated to God. People who are marked by holiness, purity, and godliness. People who do not live according to the rule, mindset, or behavior of the world.

• The standard and measurement of a CHRISTian’s life: Christ!

• Ephesians 4:13, 15– … until we all attain … to the full knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ … we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is Christ …

• Jesus in every area of life: thoughts, words, actions, motives, attitude … everything.

• Thus, Paul’s argument is that because we are “holy ones” (those set apart as the Lord’s, marked by His character), we cannot continue in the impure and unholy behavior of the world.

• Colossians 1:13– Who rescued us from the authority of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son of His love …

• 2 Corinthians 5:17– Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

• “But that is just my personality!” “But that is my identity!” “But …”

• Either the power of the Gospel radically transforms a life or it doesn’t. If it doesn’t, we have no hope in this world. If it does, why are we not living in the new Kingdom reality, marked by the victory, purity, holiness, godliness, righteousness … the life and character of Christ?

Representing the King

• 2 Corinthians 5:17, 20 – Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. … So then, we are ambassadors for Christ …

• William Barclay – In the early church, Christians never had any doubt that they must be different from the world; they, in fact, knew that they must be so different that the probability was that the world would kill them and certainly was that the world would hate them. But the tendency in the modern Church has been to play down the difference between the Church and the world. We have, in effect, often said to people: “As long as you live a decent, respectable life, it is quite all right to become a church member and to call yourself a Christian. You don’t need to be so very different from other people.” [When] in fact, Christians should be easily identifiable in the world. Christ does not take us out of the world; He makes us different within the world. // William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, The New Daily Study Bible (Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002), 89.

Not Even a Hint

• Ephesians 5:3– … must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints …

• NOT modern church thought – “don’t talk about it”

• Ephesians 5:3 (NIV) – But among you there must not be even a hint … 

• Ephesians 5:3 (NLT)– … Such sins have no place among God’s people.

• BE NAMED (onomazō) – name, call; to verbalize (to be or become articulated or spoken)

• verb, present, passive, imperative, third person, singular (not merely a group thing but a very personal thing that it shouldn’t be named in MY life)

• Present: there should never be a moment when there is a hint

• Illustration: not even a hint … like food that has a hint of poison or dog dodo in it

• As Christians, our lives must be above reproach to the degree that even outsiders (unbelievers) would have no ability to spread rumors or accuse us of anything ungodly. We must abandon the pagan lifestyle of the world to embrace and fully live out the holy lifestyle of Christ every moment of every day.

• Look at the life of Daniel

• We live in the world but the lifestyle of the world is not to be in us

• Boat in the ocean vs ocean in the boat

• Ephesians 5:3– … must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints …

• There is a certain behavior that is NOT PROPER for believers, and a certain behavior that is

• IS PROPER (prepō) – fitting, suitable, proper; that which is right, appropriate, and suitable

Bending My Knee and Saying “Yes, Lord!”

• 3 ways to approach Scripture: above, beside, beneath

• Pre-decided “Yes, Lord!”

• even before I hear truth I decide to agree with it

• I will either take Scripture and measure it against my own preferences, identity, and desires (forcing Scripture to fit my life) or I will bend my knee to its authority and decide it is right and walk in obedience

We must take sin seriously

• John and Betty Stam … seven steps upward and seven steps downward

Six Questions About Our Private Life

• Is there anything in my private life (actions, thoughts, motives, language, etc.) I would hesitate to make known for the shame it would bring my name and reputation?

• Is there anything in my private life (actions, thoughts, motives, language, etc.) I would hesitate to make known for the shame it would bring God’s Name and reputation?

• Do I live my private moments carelessly or intentionally (circumspect)?

• Does my private life declare the Gospel with how I live, what I think about, my purity, etc.?

• Would the world have anything to hold over me?

• Is my private life with God different than my public life with God?

FOOTNOTES

(1) A

Photo Credit: Mark Lopez

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In Our Next Study Together …

I invite you to join me on this journey from the book of Ephesians to discover God’s eternal purpose, His plan for your life, and learn how to practically live out an abundant and fruitful Christian life. 

• The focus of our next study: Ephesians 4:7
  • We are going to dive into the concept of Jesus giving us the gift of grace and what purpose His grace serves in our lives.
  • I encourage you to read through Ephesians a couple of times this week and focus specifically on Ephesians 4.