Ephesians 5:3-4 Outline

Sexual Immorality, Coarse Talk, Thanksgiving, and the Glory of God

Introduction (review):
1. In this whole section of Ephesians (4:17-32), Paul is calling us to live like Christians, to live out grace, to enhance the unity of the body and to promote the glory of God, in six specific areas of the Christian life.

2. So far, Paul has specifically addressed five areas of Christian life: (1) in v. 25, he emphasized that we were to promote the unity of the body of Christ and bear witness to the glory of God in the church through our truth-telling; (2) in vv. 26-27 he emphasized that the glory of God and the unity of his family are at stake in the way we manage and express or anger;(3) in v. 28-29 Paul deals with stealing; (4) in vv.29-30 Paul challenges corrupt communication by Christians, commands us to be edifying in our speech, and bids us to take care not to grieve the Holy Spirit with our unwholesome talk; and (5) in vv. 4:31-5:2 Paul charges us to put away attitudes words and actions that show resentment of God’s providence, and instead are to live lives of kindness and forgiveness, because of God’s kindness to and forgiveness of us. Indeed, we are to aim to be like God in our behavior, love like Christ loved us. In short, we are to confront our own bitterness and instead be characterized by a kind and forgiving spirit.

3. This brings us to Paul’s sixth life example and application of how we are to live distinctively as Christians, it appears in Ephesians 5:3-4.

3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

Introduction:
Throughout the passage, Paul is concerned that we are not self-centered, but rather God-centered, church-centered, other-focused.

I. Christian behavior is not to be characterized by sexual immorality, impurity and coveting (3a) [Sexual immorality]
3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, . . .

II. Christian conversation is not to be vulgar (4a) [Coarse talk]
. . . 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, . . .

III. Christian behavior and conversation is to be informed by what is fitting for Christians (3b, 4b) [Fitting/not fitting]
3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, . . .

IV. Christians, instead of being sexually immoral and vulgar, are to give thanks to God for sex (4c) [Giving thanks]
3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.