EPHESIANS EXTRA #19

March 2, 2021

NOT A HINT

G4202 πορνεία porneía, por-ni’-ah; from G4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry:—fornication.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible

fornication – voluntary sexual intercourse between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman

The New Webster’s Dictionary, Lexicon Publications, New York, 1990.

G2160 εὐτραπελία eutrapelía, yoo-trap-el-ee’-ah; from a compound of G2095 and a derivative of the base of G5157 (meaning well-turned, i.e. ready at repartee, jocose); witticism, i.e. (in a vulgar sense) ribaldry:—jesting.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible

ribald – wittily indecent or coarse

The New Webster’s Dictionary, Lexicon Publications, New York, 1990.

I (Susie) have struggled with writing my thoughts on this passage.  It’s easy to jump on the sexual immorality thing and be all self-righteous about purity when the honest truth is that God has protected me from even being in the situation to be tempted. I’m sure He knows me better than I know myself and has decided to shelter me.

At any rate, before I could preach any sermon on fornication, I would have to remove a beam from my own eye. I know my speech is not always pure. No, I don’t run around cussing out my employees or taking the Lord’s name in vain. However, due to the influence of some close friends, I can make something dirty out of just about any innocent thing that is said. Granted I don’t practice this “art” with just anyone, but there are those certain friends that appreciate off-color humor. The passage above says this is “out of place.” My grandmother would have called it “un-becoming of a lady.”  Basically, it is as wrong as immorality. God doesn’t make distinctions of levels of sin as we often do. To Him, sin is sin; and my sin is as bad as any other.

Father, thank you for your saving grace. Thank you also for the grace needed to live each day to your glory. Help us to glorify you in our speech and to refrain from saying things that are out of place for your representative. Thank you for your protection and your promise to make a way of escape from temptation (I Corinthians 10:13). Give us the wisdom to take the path you provide.