Reconciling my behavior with Ephesians 4 & 5...

For the past 3 days I have been reading and meditating on Ephesians 4:17 - 5:33. These particular passages are some of the most clear and directive instructions in the bible about how believers are to behave, and what we are to fill our minds with or allow ourselves to be a party to. Yet, for some reason, most of us, including myself sometimes, have this sort of "group sin is okay" mentality. It is exactly the same as teenage peer pressure. "Everyone else is participating, so it must be okay," or "Even my best friend who I believe to be a strong Christian is participating, watching, saying, doing these things, so it must not be bad. She'd never do anything that bad, right?" In Ephesians 4:30 NLT, it says, "And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption."

It breaks my heart when I think of all of the ways I have grieved the Holy Spirit. It should break every believer's heart when our behavior cannot be reconciled to His Holy Word. Some areas of behavior, media, etc. are grey. In those areas, I might be able to say that I don't have a conviction about drinking in moderation, or God hasn't put this or that cause on my heart. But, when His Word is clear, there is no grey. There is black and white. He says, "not even a hint"... How can that be left up to interpretation? How can "not even a hint" be reconciled to most of what we allow to pass before our eyes and into our hearts. We can't even walk through a mall or drive down the street without "a hint" of impurity passing before our eyes, but we can choose what we willingly seek out or take part in.

I am so thankful for grace, for the cross, for new mercies every morning...that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. I will not dwell on my mistakes that have grieved the Holy Spirit, but I will move forward in obedience...failing sometimes  often, and turning right back toward obedience when I do. Isn't that what we expect of our own kids, not perfection, but growth and responsibility. We are His children. We can act like we aren't, but it doesn't change the fact that we are. He will always expect more from us. He expects us to grow and holds us responsible for what we know. How could a loving Father not?

Sometimes it is hard being set apart. It stings when you don't get invited to certain things because people know you are striving to live a holy life and you might make them feel uncomfortable about what they are doing or watching. Especially for an extrovert like me, {who was once the one to call to find out where the party was} it is hard not to succumb to the group mentality. So, when it happens, I just try to remember what my little sister said one time about being left out herself, "Maybe God was protecting me because He knew I would join right in with what they were doing if I went." He always does provide a way to avoid temptation 1 Cor. 10:13.

Ephesians 4:29- the end of 5

 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

¹ Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
³ But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. ⁴ Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. ⁵ For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. ⁷ Therefore do not be partners with them.
⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴ This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Instructions for Christian Households

²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body. ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.