Notes on “Everyday Ethics” based on Ephesians 4:25-5:20

Ethics concern how we live in the face of being part of a human community. Ethics are principles that guide our conduct.

I think that we would all agree that Christians – followers of Jesus – readers of the Word of God – are called to live as model citizens (even through the trials, challenges and nasty incidents that come across our path). We are to be examples to our neighbours of how life can be lived in mutually helpful, productive and creative ways. If we think that society is in a mess, then the responsibility to show other options, priorities and ways of living rests with us. Rather than just bemoaning the state of the world, we can see each opportunity we have to be a patient, kind and peacemaking person as a small contribution to the solution or one step towards improvement!

What everyday ethical challenges can we see in this passage (Eph 4:25-5:20)?

· Gaining a reputation for speaking the truth (v.25) … for being honest, trustworthy, reliable people. It is interesting that we are seen in this text as being “members of one another” with our neighbours – suggesting that there should be some sort of feeling of solidarity with those we live around in our mutual human (therefore vulnerable) state. We will not have good influence necessarily just because we are super confident bible knowing Christians, but more so because we are co-traveling vulnerable human beings with faith, hope and purpose. Alongside this is using words well (4:29 & 5:4).

· Not allowing negativity to beat us (v.26) … if we are seen to let circumstances get on top of us regularly, seemingly without any resources to cope or resolve our issues, then what have we really to offer! Anger is somewhat inevitable > righteous anger about injustice (eg. animal cruelty), or anger when we are hurt or abused or ignored; yet when we feel this way, instead of giving in to destructive responses, we should rather “not sin” and find creative ways of processing our feelings. Road rage and all sorts of violence that we see on the news is as a result of uncontrolled anger building up inside people. You would probably have heard of the saying: “Don’t get angry get even”; well the Bible says something very different … “When you do get angry, don’t sin (ie. revenge is out), rather find creative and helpful ways of dealing with it”. The absolute reverse of being a good influence on society is … … ‘making room for the devil to prosper’, which is what uncontrolled anger achieves! To the contrary, being a model citizen involves what we read in verses 31-32.

· Don’t steal (v.28) … interesting that this had to be written to members of the early church! This includes not stealing from your employer – doing a fair day’s work for your pay, and not pilfering what’s not yours to take … this includes not stealing from society – by taking an easy path rather than making a contribution with one’s God-given skills and abilities … this includes not stealing from the government through tax evasion or social welfare fraud. This also includes not stealing from copyright owners – by illegally copying materials that should be rightfully paid for, where people’s living is at stake. To not pay our fair share, will inevitably make the poor poorer! Greed is also addressed in 5:3.

· Moral purity (5:3) … because our sexuality is based on the Trinity of God, it is a very special and crucial area of our lives. If we treat this area laxly then the ramifications are great. If we draw other people into our laxness, then we are really denying God’s place in our lives – seeing our personal needs as greater than the well-being of others, and as more important than God’s call upon our lives. As we see in verse 5, we can only have one God, and if we set ourselves up as that ‘god’, then we have displaced Jesus from his proper role. So many people struggle in life because they make their decisions simply in line with their feelings or desires, rather than in terms of a much broader spiritual framework.

· Being careful who you associate with (v.6-8) … this doesn’t mean writing people off, or rejecting those who truly may need help, but rather realising there are some people and some groups who we shouldn’t run with or associate with, because their focus is incompatible with ours (“darkness”, not “light”). They will be identified by their “empty words” (v.6) i.e. words that do not stand with the words of ‘truth’ in the gospel. Any such unwise association will only lead us in the wrong direction, cause us pain, and disrupt our witness. We can still partner with other community groups (like we have with Point Cook Market & Christmas by The Lake), but we have to make sure that they too are involved with fruitful works i.e. community and neighbourhood building, not “unfruitful works of darkness” (v.11). Aligned with this is being prepared to expose and repudiate acts of injustice and destructive around us.

· Good personal management (v.18) … not being given to “excess” or waste. Going to “excess” is really what is meant by the term translated “debauchery”. If we drink too much alcohol, get involved with illicit drugs, eat too much or eat too little, become lazy or don’t get enough rest, even drink too much caffeine, basically don’t find good life balance – we limit how effectively God can use us – and that is a serious matter in our Christian discipleship. Good time management is also referred to in v.16 … we need to be making the most of the time (and talents) we have been given. If we fill our lives with things of little value, there is less room for the Holy Spirit to move and develop us. Whereas the Holy Spirit is a gift to us, we have to be willing and open and ready to receive this gift (or alternatively through certain behaviours repress it). Alcohol is used as an example of unhelpful “excess” here, because it a substance that can control a person in the way only the Spirit of God should. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit one can fly spiritually with the eagles, under the influence of destructive drugs one can flirt with the lower nature. We have to look after our health and spiritual well-being – this is part of being a good example to our fellow human beings and useful in God’s Kingdom. We have to be particularly understanding and considerate to those with particular vulnerabilities and addictions – that we help, rather than hinder, them. We are our brother’s and sister’s keeper!

· Being a worshipper beyond ourselves (v.19-20) … constantly reminding ourselves and others of the importance of a relationship with God and the priority of personal and corporate worship. We need to be thankful to God; we need to be mindful of God’s presence in our lives and our daily environments; we need to seek deeper connections with God so that we will grow; we need to seek forgiveness for our mishaps along the journey; we need to support and learn from each other; we need to participate in the mission of the church to the world. Our faith will not survive without this level of worship. How is this an ethical challenge? To fail to worship God is idolatry, because we are in effect saying that we can get along without God.

What can be a healthy motivation through which to take up such ethical challenges? Have a look at 5:1-2 – central in our passage today. We are asked to think about Jesus Christ’s love for us, and then replicate that love in our lives. Given that Jesus has and does love all human beings and wishes to connect intimately with them, how can we participate in this quest – clearly by living a life of love toward others!