Ephesians 5 (NIV)
1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives and Husbands
22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31″For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
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January 18th, 2008 at 6:42 am
This is one of those areas that is just frustrating for me sometimes. I just feel like I can never really get free of “obscenity, foolish talk, and coarse joking”. I hate to be such a downer on a Friday morning, but I feel like I just always fall into that. If you know me you know I’m comfortable in a group of people (any people!) and that I like to see people laugh. So usually no matter what form the discussion takes or what we’re laughing about, I’ll be a part of it. I just feel like I go too far in fitting in with other people or working to make them laugh.
I dunno, there are just some days when I wonder if I wouldn’t be better off just being quiet all day long.
There are just times when I feel like I should be more careful about how I live in that regard, slower to speak and quicker to think. You guys have a fun day.
“Be quick, *be quiet*, be on time.” -Clarence “Kelly” Johnson
January 18th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I completely understand what you mean, JP. I have the same problem at work. I’ll start every day thinking I won’t participate in any of the conversations or e-mail exchanges with coworkers that lead to innuendo, etc. Next thing I know, there I am, not just laughing along, but often doing my part to keep fueling the conversation or e-mail flow. Since the two coworkers I have these exchanges with are not Christians and they know I am, I feel really guilty then that they could be getting the wrong impression of what it means to follow Christ. I want them to understand that being a Christian doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, but I’m afraid I lead them to believe it doesn’t have an impact on the kind of fun you SHOULD have. It should! And I don’t do my best at showing that, I’m afraid.