Ephesians 5:6

"Let no one delude and deceive you with empty excuses and groundless arguments [for these sins], for through these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of rebellion and disobedience." Ephesians 5:6

In the original text, you could also render this verse, "stop letting someone"... suggesting that it's already happening... and right in the church body, by the way. But who is trying to deceive us? Go right back to verse 5 because Paul is still talking about any person practicing sexual vice or impurity in thought or in life, or one who is covetous [who has lustful desire for the property of others and is greedy for gain], and they just will not allow Christ to change them. Again, we must consider:

If we continue in these same sexual vices and impurity and lustful desire for the property of others (sin) without any progress... if Christ is not allowed to have His way with these things, then we MUST question our original commitment with Christ. If we aren't willing to submit... just like in marriage, you have been deceived into a false sense of salvation.

"Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that disapproved on trial and rejected? But I hope you will recognize and know that we are not disapproved on trial and rejected." 2 Corinthians 13:5-6

How do you examine yourself to be in Christ and still do what God detests? The fact of the matter is this, for us to continue in these sins and still believe we have been saved, whatever excuses we use, think up, create, imagine, tell ourselves to remain in these sins, those empty excuses will eventually spill out to our friends in the church whom have truly been saved... and then, YOU AND I MAY BE WHO PAUL SAYS WILL, "delude and deceive with empty excuses and groundless arguments for these sins".

It's simply rebellion and disobedience, and Jesus says those whom obey Him are His. Listen, He does the work! He tells us what to do or not to do... He gives us the power... when satan tempts, Christ makes a way out... it's simply a matter of letting Him... and if we aren't letting him deal with these issues, then something is very wrong. I pray this word is really ministering to someone out there today.

Let's pick up with Ephesians verse 5:7 next time.

I love you.