How does Ephesians 5:3 connect with 1 Corinthians 6:18 about purity? Text under consideration • Ephesians 5:3: “But among you, as is proper among saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed.” • 1 Corinthians 6:18: “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.” Shared call to moral purity • Both verses address sexual immorality (Greek porneia) as a clear boundary for believers. • Ephesians 5:3 sets the bar at “not even a hint,” stressing complete absence. • 1 Corinthians 6:18 commands active avoidance—“flee”—highlighting urgency and decisiveness. • Together they show purity is maintained both by inner resolve (no hint) and outward action (flee). The heart behind the command • Identity: Ephesians roots the mandate in being “saints,” people already set apart. • Temple imagery: 1 Corinthians 6:18, expanded in 6:19-20, reminds believers their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, purchased by Christ. • Holiness flows from who God is (1 Peter 1:15-16) and what He has done (Titus 2:14). Why sexual sin is singled out • Unique self-harm: 1 Corinthians 6:18 notes this sin is “against his own body,” unlike other sins. • Community witness: Ephesians 5:3 links purity to a lifestyle “proper among saints,” guarding the church’s testimony (cf. Philippians 2:15). • Covenant symbolism: Sexual union images Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31-32); impurity distorts that picture. Practical outworkings • Guard the mind: eliminate sources that spark lust (Job 31:1; Matthew 5:28-29). • Establish boundaries: avoid compromising situations (Proverbs 5:8). • Accountability: walk in the light with trusted believers (James 5:16). • Replace, don’t just remove: pursue thanksgiving and worship instead of impure talk or thoughts (Ephesians 5:4). • Remember the price: meditate on 1 Corinthians 6:20—“You were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.” Additional scriptural support • 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5—God’s will is sanctification, “that each of you learn to control his own body in holiness and honor.” • Hebrews 13:4—“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled.” • Galatians 5:16—Walk by the Spirit and “you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Summary takeaways • Purity isn’t optional; it is foundational to the believer’s identity and witness. • Ephesians 5:3 sets the standard—zero tolerance—and 1 Corinthians 6:18 supplies the strategy—swift flight. • God’s indwelling Spirit empowers what He commands, enabling believers to live without even a hint of impurity while actively fleeing temptation. |
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