All of us set goals for ourselves--both short-range and long-range. Even though our goals are not always consciously planned, nevertheless we are headed somewhere.
However, rarely do people set goals for their ethical behavior. People are usually molded morally by what is deemed acceptable behavior within their own particular culture at that time. The world at large gropes in the darkness of their own understanding to find ways of justifying their actions even against the most basic moral prohibitions in the name of civil authority, religion or a particular cause. The expected and often proven outcome of a life lived without a moral compass is self-destruction.
Yogi Berra, three-time MVP and New York Yankees catcher, was famous for his quotes. One such quote applies to those who "float" through life without moral conviction:
Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, beginning in chapter 5, urges those who are "in Christ" to forsake the darkness and walk in the light. "Awake, you who sleep...", he writes. At the time of his writing, the culture (especially in the city of Ephesus) was given over to sexual immorality. In verses 5:3-4 he describes the ways that are "not fitting" for the Christian. As would be expected, all six of the descriptions were aimed at sexual sins:
1. Fornication (porneia): a broad word describing sexual sin.
2. Uncleanness: another broad word for "dirty" moral behavior, especially in the sexual sense.
3. Filthiness: which has much the same meaning as uncleanness.
4. Coarse jesting: which has the idea of inappropriate, "dirty" sexual humor.
5. Covetousness: the desire to have something that doesn't belong to us.
6. Foolish talking: turning every conversation into a joking comment on sexual matters, usually with a double entendre (a word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risque or indecent).
The last two examples (5 and 6) would obviously have relevance beyond their relation to sexual sin, but in context of Paul's culture it is a fair assumption of his intent. A cursory observation of our current culture in America will show that all 6 examples run rampant today. We see it in greeting cards, TV commercials, talk shows, comical movies, and more. Everywhere you turn, darkness has slipped through the cracks in what we tolerate as acceptable morality and accepted ethical behavior.
Paul urges that we "Walk as children of light...finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness..." (8-12). NOTE: Paul is careful to say that we should avoid the "unfruitful works of darkness", not the people who are in darkness.
Next week we will have a shortened class (9:45 - 10:15) due to the Christmas program that begins in the sanctuary at 10:30. I plan to stay on topic and have a short discussion. We will continue with part II of Ephesians 5 the following week.
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