Eph 5:3-4 “But among you there must not be~| either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.”
In spite of our Creator–Savior–God’s self–sacrificing love for people often they behave in lustful, self–indulgent, selfish, egotistical ways. In the previous verse, Paul told us to “walk in love” (Eph 5:2), and now he clarifies what impedes this command in our lives. Paul lists six vices among believers that “there must not be,” meaning to “stop being.”
The first vice is “sexual immorality”; this word is the origin of the word pornography, which refers to all sexual activities outside of marriage: “This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thes 4:3). Satan has long used sexual sins of believers as a tool.
The second is “impurity of any kind,” which refers to “moral filthiness, lewdness, unnatural perversion, obscenity.” This word is used ten times in the New Testament to describe immoral thoughts and sexual fantasies that corrupt morality.
The third is “covetousness,” the word for greediness, which is the desire to have more than your due, or whatever motivates an illegitimate action to acquire more things. It is pure selfishness.
The fourth sin is “filthiness,” or “shamefulness, obscenity, indecency,” “dirty talk,” or “filthy language,” as in Colossians 3:8.
The fifth sin is “foolish talking,” which means “silly talk, stupid or low obscenity, gutter talk,” or the language of the street.
The sixth sin is “coarse jesting,” meaning “facetiousness or making fun of others.” This refers to turning any trait or a statement of others into a joke or teasing, sometimes with a suggestive sexual innuendo. Never ridicule others.
Rather, the believer is to engage in the “giving of thanks” for having received the undeserved grace of full forgiveness and true, effective wisdom. Now the believer is to show the same grace to others.
“Wonderful Savior, I recognize all my lustful thoughts of sin and greed are spawned by selfishness. Help me have a grateful heart for Who You are and for the wonders You have done in my life.”