Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Ephesians 5:1–5
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From the Word: 1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and walk in love, even as Christ also loved us, and delivered himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But sexual immorality—and all filthiness or covetousness—is not even to be mentioned among you, as is appropriate for saints. 4 And let there be no obscenity, nor foolish talk, nor vulgarity, which are not proper, but rather may there be thanksgiving. 5 For you know this with certainty: that each fornicator or unclean or covetous person—who is an idolater—has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5:1–5)
From the Confessions: The Small Catechism
The Sixth Commandment
You shall not commit adultery.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God so that in matters of sex we are chaste and disciplined in our words and actions, and that husband and wife love and honor each other.
Pulling It Together: The sexually immoral person is an idol worshiper. The one who covets a neighbor’s spouse or anything else in that person’s household, is essentially, as the King James Version puts it, a whoremonger (Ephesians 5:5 KJV), one who visits the pagan temples and the prostitutes who worked them. There may be no temples with prostitution in your city, but the covetous behavior is identical. We should fear and love God so that husbands and wives are content with his will, that they are devoted to and content with their own spouse. Anything less than this, is ungodly, covetous idolatry.
Prayer: Strengthen me, O Lord, and give me a courageous spirit, that I may speak and act as you expect. Amen.
Click here for resources to learn the Ten Commandments.
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Author
Rev. Mark E. Ryman serves as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC. Previously, Pastor Ryman has served other congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
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