LOVE AND SEXUALITY (5): PAYDAY FOR GIFT ABUSERS

(Ephesians 5:3-6)

A little boy attended the baby dedication of his little brother. The older boy
proceeded to cry all the way home. His father asked, “What’s wrong son?”
The boy said, “You promised the minister that you would have us raised in
a Christian home.” “What’s wrong with that?” asked the Father. The boy
cried, “I want to stay with you and mom.” The point is we must all decide
– are we Believers – or are we Pretenders -- making a claim of Christ while
explaining away any real accountability. Do we think we can have
salvation on the one hand and our comfortable, easy, go along with the
crowd lifestyle on the other? Today we see God leaves no such alternative.

In our study on love and sexuality, we have looked at the prohibitions of

verses 3-4 – prohibitions against wrong actions, including our thought life,
wrong atmosphere, wrong attitude and finally wrong articulation (speech).
Today why they are prohibited, next week, what is prescribed? Now, the
why of the prohibitions is a stunner. Why the prohibitions? Because those
who abuse God’s gift cannot go to heaven, but instead incur the wrath of
God. Tough language. This is the difference between being saved and not –
between believers and pretenders. Heavy, heavy stuff – issues of life and
death. Look at the beginning of verse 5, “For you may be sure of this” – he
actually uses two versions of the word “know” – literally translated “having
known, you are continuing to know.” This is rock solid.

And look at verse 6, “Let no one deceive you with empty words.” It’s
almost like he saw Hugh Hefner coming, isn’t it? Actually, he had his own
Hugh Hefners. Gnostic philosophers dominated the region of Asia Minor
where Ephesus was. Their deceit? Matter is always flawed and evil – only
spirit is good. You’ll soon be done with the body. It matters not what you
do with it. The body and sexual sin are unimportant. Only the spirit
matters. This isn’t that far from 21st century thinking, it?

“Let no one deceive you with empty words.” In our day, the deceit is
rampant. In our lifetime we have seen the complete breakdown of moral
structures – in one lifetime. The combination of Rationalism and liberalism
have declared God’s Word errant, optional, non-authoritative. Inevitably,
someone like Hugh Hefner and his Playboy philosophy could gain a
foothold, then a following, and finally almost universal acceptance by
advocating, “If it feels good, do it.” Throw off repression and enjoy.
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Theologians joined the party. John. A.T. Robinson was a British Anglican
bishop who, in 1963, published a book called Honest to God. It rejected
any concept of God out there or up there and objective in any sense. No
personality; no essence; no being. But Robinson’s work was
groundbreaking in that it did not give up “God.” Instead, it assigned a
radically different definition to the word. Instead of an infinite spiritual
being, God was defined as love. Period! When you see love, you are seeing
God. God is relationship – nothing more. A chapter entitled “The New
Morality” posited love as the one and only basis for ethics. Joseph
Fletcher, American professor at the Harvard Divinity School, popularized
Robinson’s ideas in a 1966 book: Situation Ethics: the New Morality. This
book laid the theological and psychological framework for a new morality
whose basic premise was that nothing is immoral in and of itself. The first
and most basic of several underlying propositions is that there is only one
thing is intrinsically good -- LOVE. Love is all and all is love. Anything
done in love is good. No right and wrong – only love or not.

Good is whatever suits the needs and purposes of God. But since God is
love, whatever suits love is good. Since there is no objective truth, love is
whatever the circumstances dictate – situation ethics. It all depends.
Whereas Hefner’s philosophy would have had a rumpled looking young
man saying to a rumpled looking young woman, “Why bring up love at a
time like this?” Fletcher would have argued that love is the only thing that
mattered at a time like that. If love was involved, basically meaning no
one is getting hurt, all is well. The game is on. Hefner, Robinson and
Fletcher probably did as much to advance the sexual revolution as anyone
you could name.

But while they speak of love and God and good, and pleasure, the words
have been stripped of their meaning. Objective truth has been abandoned
in favor of subjective perception. It all depends! Basically anything could
and has been defended as right and proper. Paul says, Don’t be deceived.
There are good reasons for the Creator’s guidelines. So, let’s ask,

II. Why is Immorality Prohibited?

Why? Because it will be judged. Payday is coming. It may not look like it
now; it may appear that the sinner is getting away with his sin, but the day
is coming, and we are told in Hebrews 10:31, “It is a fearful thing to fall
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into the hands of the living God.” All appearances to the contrary, that is
exactly where the immoral person is headed.

The issue here is not someone who has slipped into sin, but who is repentant
and accepts God’s verdict regarding his or her sexuality. Rather Paul is
talking about the person who has adopted immorality as a lifestyle –
someone who has said, “I do not accept the Bible’s prohibitions in this area.
It is so much nonsense. We live in the 21st century. We understand that
anything between two consenting adults that does not hurt someone else is
acceptable.” This is the person who has accepted the Hugh Hefner/John A.
T. Robinson/Joseph Fletcher philosophy as opposed to the revealed will of
God. It is a lifestyle that has set itself above God.

God’s verdict: “You may think you are a Christian; you may think that you
can have your immoral pleasure and Christ too, but you are wrong. By your
lifestyle you have said Yes to immediate gratification and No to faith. You
are a gift-abuser -- and payday is coming.” It is a message delivered with a
heavy heart. But it is a lifestyle, Beloved, that is incompatible with the
kingdom of God. The passage suggests three reasons why.

A. It is insubordinate

An immoral lifestyle – it can be outward, or it can be lived in the mind.

You can be married with children, regular church-attender, and still be
living an immoral lifestyle in your mind, fueled by lustful thoughts,
pornographic images, regular sojourns to a fantasy world – it’s all the same.
But look at verse 6, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because
of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”
Those living an immoral lifestyle fall under the pre-Christ condition of Eph
2:2 -- children of disobedience – willfully disobedient. They know right,
but choose to call it prudish and outdated and repressive and infringement
of rights. They call God’s standard a lie so that they can live by their own
standard, -- insubordinate to God Himself. You can do it, but if God is
God, and if the Bible is truly His revelation, then you are in disobedience.
And payday is coming.

The philosophies I mentioned earlier are all aimed at denying this fact – at
avoiding accountability. But Paul says, don’t believe it – it is all
insubordination against the one who created all this. Insubordination is the
attempt to replace God’s authority with my own. The October, 2009 issue
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of Sports Illustrated featured an article about Joe Paterno -- 45 years the
head football coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions. I think I used this in a
newspaper article, so you may have seen it. The article made the point that
though he is aging, Joe is still in charge. Before the season he was talking
to one of his best players, and the player said, "You know what your
problem is? You don’t relate to us." "Is that right?" Joe answered. "That’s
not a problem. But you’ve got a problem. You don’t relate to me. And
that’s a big problem." "He got what I meant," Joe said. Question is, who
makes the rules?! An immoral lifestyle amounts to saying to God, “You’ve
got a problem, God. You don’t relate to me.” But God is lovingly saying,
“I don’t relate to you?! That’s not a problem. But you’ve got a problem.
You don’t relate to me. And that’s a big problem – a problem that will
eventually force my hand in judgment if you will not repent. Give it up
while there is yet time.” That is God’s heart. Forsake insubordination.

B. It is Idolatrous

Why is immorality prohibited? Second reason. It is idolatrous. Modern,

21st century idolatry. Look at verse 5, “5) For you may be sure of this, that
everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an
idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” Almost
identical instruction is found in Col 3:5: “ Put to death therefore what is
earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and
covetousness, which is idolatry.” In both verses, covetousness is equated
with idolatry. Why is that? Well, to covet something is to desire it above
all, including God. Something has replaced God. Idolatry!

To covet is to want what is not my due – to fixate on something that

belongs to someone else. In the context of Ephesians 5, it is the desire for a
sexual relationship outside of marriage. So the object desired constitutes the
idol, right? We want that person more than we want God, and he or she
now constitutes an idol. But I believe Paul’s reference here goes even
deeper. All idol worshippers eventually bowed down to something of their
own making. They were, therefore, whatever the outward appearance,
worshipping themselves. When it comes to sexual coveting, desire is the
idol – the person is irrelevant. And since the desire is internal to me, I am
worshiping self. I have put myself in the place of God and made myself an
idol. I have decided that what I want is more important than God.
Consciously or unconsciously, I have made a god of myself. Someone has

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well said, “Today idols are more in the self than on the shelf.” The
worship of desire – the worship of self. Self-idolatry.

A man was on the practice golf course when the club pro brought another
man out for a lesson. The pro watched the fellow swing several times and
suggested improvement -- but each time the pupil interrupted with his own
version of what was wrong and how to correct it. After a few minutes of
this interference, the pro began nodding in agreement. Lesson over, the
student paid the pro, congratulated him on his expertise, and left in an
obviously pleased frame of mind. The observer was so astonished that he
asked, “Why did you go along with him?” “Son,” the old pro said with a
grin, as he carefully pocketed his fee, “I learned long ago that it’s a waste
of time to sell answers to a man who wants to buy echoes.”

That’s exactly what we do when we worship at the idol of sexuality. We

replace God’s Word with the voice of our own desire. We’ve put ourselves
into a running argument with God – an argument that the echo of self wins
every time. I know God said, “Flee youthful lusts,” but He didn’t mean me
and He didn’t mean now. And up we go to the throne of self worship.

C. It is Incompatible with God’s Purpose and Plan

This brings us to the crux of the matter, Beloved. Immorality is

incompatible with God’s plan and purpose. If not repented of, it means
eternal separation from His presence. Look first at verse 5, “For you may
be sure of this (literally – knowing, you may keep knowing this), that
everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an
idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. How clearly
the lines are drawn. You may have your earthly desires, live out your
wildest fantasies, live for the god of self – or you may have Christ and His
eternal kingdom, but you may not have both. You eventually must make a
choice. If you want Him, you must want Him above all. The continual
flaunting of His commands leads to no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ
and God. You cannot enter heaven. You will leave this life only to find
that you have no inheritance there. Nothing, nada, empty. You made your
heaven here and now it is over. How many times have we seen a movie
where the will is opened only to find that the expectant participant is given
nothing? How infinitely worse to reach the judgment seat of Christ and find
that there is no inheritance there at all. The invitation is closed, the
opportunities gone – the bank is empty.
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And yet – while there is life, there is hope, Beloved. This was Paul’s exact
point to the Corinthians when he said in I Corinthians 6:9-11: “9) Or do you
not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not
be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
men who practice homosexuality, 10) nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11)
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified,
you were justified (how) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the
Spirit of our God.” Note, he is not saying they are saved by leaving their
immorality behind. They are saved by believing in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ. But having been saved, the immorality naturally goes away.

It comes down to a decision, does it not? Will we continue to insist on and

have our own way now and enter eternity with no inheritance? Or will we
repent, accept His forgiveness and turn from our sin. I want to reiterate that
immorality is as much a state of mind as it is actual acting out. You can be
perfectly innocent of external wrongdoing and still be living an immoral,
impure and covetous life. That was exactly Jesus’ point in Matthew 5 when
He said, 27) “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit
adultery.’ 28) But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with
lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Do you
see that it is a state of mind? God always focuses on the heart. So
immorality is a heart issue more than an outward issue. Jesus goes on after
condemning adultery of the heart: 29) If your right eye causes you to sin, tear
it out and throw it away. (He is emphasizing the extreme urgency of facing
this issue.) For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your
whole body be thrown into hell. 30) And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your
members than that your whole body go into hell. He links judgment with
the issue of immorality just like Paul – only in even stronger terms. Oh,
dear people, we do not understand our sinfulness and God’s holiness.

Now listen – it’s not as though God is just waiting to impose judgment. He
hates the very idea. He says in Ezekiel 18:23, “23) Have I any pleasure in
the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he
should turn from his way and live?” Peter acknowledged the same truth in
II Peter 3:9, “9) The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count
slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but
that all should reach repentance.”
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You even see His reluctance in our passage. Look at verse 6, “6) Let no one
deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God
comes upon the sons of disobedience.” The word “comes” is a present
tense word. He is primarily referring to the future lack of inheritance in the
kingdom as mentioned in verse 5, but already warning is being given. Ver 6
is a plea to Wake up! Even now God’s wrath is upon the immoral and
impure and covetous lifestyle. Why does illicit and undisciplined and
licentious sexual activity come with potential physical penalties – sexually
transmitted diseases and even AIDS? Is it not God gently warning, this is
abuse of a wonderful, beautiful gift. Wake up. Repent. This is a gentle
warning that so much worse is coming if you will not turn to Him.

Conclusion

Human beings are incredibly shortsighted. We have this amazing tendency

to think that what is always will be. Remember that first stolen cookie.
Remember how you hesitated for just a moment -- waiting for the lightning
bolt to strike – right? But when it didn’t happen, you did not infer that it
was merely delayed, did you? You inferred that it might never come. Next
time, it was so much easier. Subconsciously, we come to think that delay
means cancelation; we misinterpret a grace period for absolution.

Belshazzar, last king of Babylon, he did that. His grandpa was

Nebuchadnezzar, one of the best known characters in antiquity.
Nebuchadnezzar had a vision in Daniel 2 near the beginning of his reign
which prophesied that Babylon would eventually fall to the Medo-Persian
empire though no timeframe was given.

Thirty-five years after that vision, Nebuchadnezzar met God in a most

unusual way. Late in his 43-year reign, he was struck with a disease called
in modern times lycanthropy – an affliction which caused him to think
himself an animal, drove him to live in the wild for 7 years until at long last
in his own words “34) At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my
eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High,
and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an
everlasting dominion,” (Dan 4:34). I believe that Nebuchadnezzar got
saved through that experience, and he made no secret of it, sending a
message honoring the God of heaven to the entire world. Belshazzar was in
middle to late childhood when all that was going on.
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Now – fast forward another 28 years to 539 BC. Belshazzar is now king.
He has been co-regent with his father for 14 years. And amazingly, the
Medes and Persians under Cyrus the Great are at the very gates of Babylon.
But the city is impregnable; protected by dual walls 30 feet high and 25 feet
thick – wide enough for chariots to pass each other. The Euphrates River
runs right through the middle of town and secular historians tell us that
there was food enough to last 20 years. The Babylonians felt secure within
the walls. Belshazzar threw a great feast for 1,000 of his lords – a drunken
orgy, really. And – to top it off, Belshazzar brought in the sanctified temple
vessels captured from Jerusalem 70 years before – deliberating mocking
Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Why did he choose the Jerusalem vessels of all those from other captive
nations he might have chosen? I think because he knew the prophecy about
the Medes and Persians that had been given to Nebuchadnezzar 63 years
before. By this act of defiance Belshazzar was shaking his fist in the face
of God and saying: “No way. The Medes and Persians are NOT going to
conquer great Babylon – not on my watch.” But he had mistaken delay
for cancelation and he had misinterpreted a grace period for absolution.
For suddenly, a hand began writing on the wall as the king watched. The
hand of God. Silence fell across the room. Three times in Daniel 5 we are
told that the king’s color changed as the blood drained from his face. His
knees knocked. He was terrified. It turns out, payday is no fun. Defiance
was long gone.

When Daniel was called to interpret, he minced no words. He reminded

Belshazzar of what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar then said in Daniel
5:22, “And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though
you knew all this.” You knew it all, Belshazzar – you knew it all, but you
defied Jehovah. Now you have been weighed in the balance and found
wanting. Judgment day was delayed in hopes of your repentance, but it was
not canceled. The grace period did not mean absolution – Payday is
here! Unknown to the Babylonians, the Persians had damned the Euphrates
River upstream. Even as Daniel spoke, they stopped the flow, walked in
under the walls through the empty riverbed, pretended to join the drunken
revelry in the streets until they got to the palace and within minutes of
Daniel’s revelation, they entered, killed Belshazzar and took the kingdom.
Payday.

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Beloved, the fact that Hugh Hefner is 84 and still going strong does not
mean that the day is not coming. It is. And so it is for all who will put their
standards above God’s. Just as with Belshazzar, the day is coming.
Hebrews 10:31, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God.” But there is another promise of God. It is this: “whoever comes to
me I will never cast out.” (Jn 6:37) We have the wonderful promise in II
Cor 6:2, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of
salvation.” Today is still a day of salvation. Today is still not too late.
Tomorrow is payday. But Today his grace flows. Come to Him today.