1. This lesson is easy of interpretation. It is a general and earnest
admonition on the part of Paul, enjoining us to an increasing degree
of perfection in the doctrine we have received. This admonition, this
exhortation, is one incumbent upon an evangelical teacher to give, for
he is urging us to observe a doctrine commanded of God. He says, "For
ye know what charge [commandments] we gave you through the Lord
Jesus." Whatever Christians do, it should be willing service, not
compulsory; but when a command is given, it should be in the form of
exhortation or entreaty. Those who have received the Spirit are they
from whom obedience is due; but those not inclined to a willing
performance, we should leave to themselves.
2. But mark you this: Paul places much value upon the gift bestowed
upon us, the gift of knowing how we are "to walk and to please God."
In the world this gift is as great as it is rare. Though the offer is
made to the whole world and publicly proclaimed, further exhortation
is indispensable, and Paul is painstaking and diligent in
administering it. The trouble is, we are in danger of becoming
indolent and negligent, forgetful and ungrateful--vices menacing and
great, and which, alas, are altogether too frequent.
Let us look back and note to what depths of darkness, of delusion and
abomination, we had sunk when we knew not how we ought to walk, how to
please God. Alas, we have forgotten all about it; we have become
indolent and ungrateful, and are dealt with accordingly. Well does the
apostle say in the lesson for the Sunday preceding this (2 Cor 6, 1):
"And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the
grace of God in vain, for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened
unto thee, and in a day of salvation did I succor thee."
3. In our present lesson he treats chiefly of two vices: unchastity,
which is a sin against oneself and destructive of the fruits of faith;
and fraud in business, which is a sin against the neighbor and
likewise destructive of faith and charity. Paul would have every man
keep himself chaste and free from wrong against every man, pronouncing
the wrath of God on offenses of this character.
4. It was a fact reflecting much credit and honor on the Thessalonians
in contrast to the Corinthians and the Galatians, that they continued
upright in doctrine and true in the knowledge of the faith, though
perhaps deficient in the above-mentioned two self-evident features of
Christian life. While it is true that if sins of immorality are not
renounced God will punish, yet punishment in such cases is for the
most part temporal, these sins being less pernicious than such gross
offenses as error in faith and doctrine.
5. Paul, however, threatens such sins with the wrath of God, lest
anyone become remiss and indolent, imagining the kingdom of Christ a
kingdom to tolerate with impunity such offenses. As Paul expresses it,
"God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification [holiness]."
The thought is: Unchastity does not come within the limits of
Christian liberty and privilege, nor does God treat the offender with
indulgence and impunity. No, indeed. In fact, he will more rigorously
punish this sin among Christians than among heathen. Paul tells us (1
Cor 11, 30) that many were sickly and many had succumbed to the sleep
of death in consequence of eating and drinking unworthily. And Psalm
89, 32 testifies, "Then will I visit their transgression with the
rod."
6. True, they who sin through infirmity, who, conscious of their
transgressions, suffer themselves to be reproved, repenting at
once--for these the kingdom of Christ has ready pity and forbearance,
commending them to acceptance and toleration (Rom 15; Gal 6, 1; 1 Cor
13, 7); but that such vices be regarded generally lawful and
normal--this will not do! Paul declares, "This is the will of God,
even your sanctification." And he speaks of "how ye ought to ...
please God." His thought is: Some consider these sins a matter of
little moment, treat them as if the wind blew them away and God rather
had pleasure in them as trivial affairs. But this is not true. While
God really bears with the fallen sinner, he would have us perceive our
errors and strive to mend our lives and to abound more and more in
righteousness. His grace is not intended to cloak our shame, nor
should the licentious abuse the kingdom of Christ as a shield for
their knavery. Paul commands (Gal 5, 13), "Use not your freedom for an
occasion to the flesh"; and Peter (1 Pet 2, 16), "As free, and not
using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of
God."
7. Paul, following the Hebrew way of speaking, has reference to
chastity where he says "your sanctification." He terms the body "holy"
when it is chaste, chastity being, in God's sight, equivalent to
holiness. "Holiness," in the Old Testament, is a synonym for "purity."
Again, "holiness" and "purity" are regarded as the same thing in First
Corinthians 7, 14: "Else were your children unclean; but now are they
holy."
8. The nature of the holiness and purity whereof he speaks he makes
plain himself in the words: "That ye abstain from fornication; that
each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in
sanctification and honor." The apostle does not here prohibit
matrimony, but licentiousness, and unchastity outside the marriage
state. He who is careful to keep his vessel--his body--chaste, who
does not commit adultery and is not guilty of whoredom--this man
preserves his body in holiness and purity, and properly is called
chaste and holy. The same thought is borne out in the succeeding
verse:
"Not in the passion of lust [in the lust of concupiscence], even as
the Gentiles."
9. The Gentiles, who know not God, give themselves up to all manner of
uncleanness, or disgraceful vices, as Paul records in Romans 1, 29-31.
Not that all gentiles are guilty in that respect. Paul is not saying
what all heathen do; he merely states that with the gentiles such
conduct is apparent, and quite to be expected from people "who know
not God." Under such conditions, one allows the sin to pass
unreproved, as does Paul himself. Notwithstanding he censures them who
consent to sin of this character when knowing better, and who do not
restrain the evil-doers. Rom 1, 32. But in the case of Christians,
when any fall into such sin they are to be reproved and the sin
resisted; the offense must not be allowed to pass as with the
gentiles. In the case of the latter the lust of concupiscence holds
sway; no restraints are exercised and the reins are given to lust, so
that its nature and passion are given free expression, just as if this
were a provision of nature, when the fact is it is a pest to be
healed, a blemish to be removed. But there is none to heal and
deliver, so the gentiles decay and go to ruin through evil lust. "Lust
of concupiscence" would be, with us, "evil lust." The conclusion is
simple:
"That no man transgress and wrong his brother in the matter."
10. In other words, that no one take for himself what belongs to
another, or use the property of another for his own benefit, which may
be done by a variety of tricks. To "defraud in any matter" is to seek
gain at the expense of a neighbor. On this latter subject much has
been written elsewhere, particularly in the little treatise on
Merchants and Usury, showing the great extent to which extortion is
practiced and how charity is rarely observed. It is on this topic that
Paul here would fix our attention.
_Third Sunday In Lent_
Text: Ephesians 5, 1-9.
1 Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in
love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an
offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell. 3 But
fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be
named among you, as becometh saints; 4 nor filthiness, nor foolish
talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of
thanks. 5 For this ye know of a surety, that no fornicator, nor
unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any
inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no man deceive you
with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God
upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with
them; 8 for ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk
as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness
and righteousness and truth).