Who Needs Rules?

Daily Reading:  Ephesians 5

Scripture Focus: But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. (Ephesians 5.3-4)

Devotional Thought:  In my 25 years of ministry, and over 40 years of being part of a “conservative” denomination, I’ve often heard people complain about “lists of rules" and "do’s and don’ts.”  I can sympathize with these sentiments up to a point – that point being the fact that I find lists of do’s and don’ts in the Bible.  The book of Ephesians contains such a list.

I don’t think that people have such a hard time accepting rules and lists as necessary, but the real occasion for resistance is when your list doesn’t match mine.  For example, in today’s politically correct environment, tolerance is a virtue – that is until we are asked to tolerate the opinions of those who don’t think like we do!  In other words, I can tolerate you as long as you think like me.   But, the essence of working with someone means that you give them the right to think differently from you without demonizing them.

Some rules are pretty specific in verses 3 and 4.  Followers of Jesus Christ are not to engage in:

1.     “Sexual immorality” The word in Greek is porneia, from which we get our word pornography.

2.     “Impurity” has to do with the heart, having lustful, unclean, or improper desires.  Jesus put his weight behind this "rule" when he said to look lustfully at someone was just as bad as committing adultery with them.

3.     “Greed.” Elsewhere, it is translated “covetousness.”  This rule is found in the “The Big Ten” list of rules: The Ten Commandments.

4.     “Obscenity” is “base and shameful talk.”

5.     “Foolish talk” means literally "the speech of a moron."

6.     “Coarse joking” means to lack seriousness in speech.

Quite a list of rules in just a few verses!  So, who needs rules?  Apparently, we do.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your "rules" that help me safely navigate the treacherous shoals of immoral behavior.  Help me to hide your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 149.1-9

1 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!

2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!

3 Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!

4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.

5 Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.

6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,

7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples,

8 to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron,

9 to execute on them the judgment written! This is honor for all his godly ones. Praise the Lord!