Useful Bible Studies > Ephesians Commentary > chapter 5
At Ephesus, it seems that Christians were joking and telling silly stories about people’s wrong sex acts (5:3-4). Christians should be friendly and joyful people, but it is wrong for them to laugh about such matters. So Paul reminded Ephesus’s Christians how serious our evil deeds, including wrong sex acts, are. God is the judge of all people, and of every evil act (Genesis 18:25; Ecclesiastes 12:14). It is because of our evil acts that we bring God’s judgement against us (Romans 2:6-9; Revelation 21:8).
So, Christians should not joke about other people’s evil behaviour; instead, they should be praying for those people. God is eager to forgive people (Exodus 34:6-7). He does not want even wicked people to suffer the punishment that they deserve for their evil acts (Ezekiel 18:23). That is why Christ died. He died to suffer the punishment for our evil deeds, so that God can forgive us (Romans 5:6-8). However, God cannot forgive us unless we turn from our evil deeds to invite Christ into our lives (John 1:11-12; Romans 10:13; Revelation 3:20).
God does wonderful things for everyone who truly turns to him. When he forgives a person, that person receives at once the rights of a citizen in God’s kingdom (Luke 23:43; Hebrews 12:22-24). God’s kingdom is the place where he rules as king. During the present age, God’s rule is principally in heaven, and all of God’s people will receive a place there (John 14:1-3). In the future age, God’s rule over all things will be complete. Then, the people whom God has forgiven will live with him in the New Jerusalem, God’s perfect city (Revelation 21:1-14).
Next part: Dangerous conversations (Ephesians 5:6)
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© 2019, Keith Simons.