FORNICATION UNBECOMING A SAINT
Ephesians 5:3: But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness,
let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Why did the Holy Spirit move the
apostle to say fornication is unbecoming a saint? Obviously, these are
sins. But these are sexual sins which
lead to the birth of illegitimate children of fornication. God calls Esau, who
forfeited the right of the firstborn for the temporary gratification of his
flesh, not a saint, but a fornicator
(Heb 12: 16).
These sexual sins are unbecoming a saint because a saint is a firstborn
son, not of fornication, but by the lawful union between Christ our Husband and
his faithful bride, the church. Christ
makes his bride faithful to preach his word in truth. By the gospel of Christ,
the incorruptible seed, we are born again. (1 Pet 1: 23-24) We are made
partakers of Christ’s nature having escaped the corruption and lusts of being
children of fornication born of Adam (2 Pet 1: 4). So these sexual sins are
unbecoming a saint, not simply because they are sinful, but because we are
firstborn sons born and sanctified, not by fornication, but by a holy, lawful
union of Husband and wife, Christ and his bride.
Brethren, our motivation in everything is not law but Christ! If we were merely told to abstain from
fornication it would be the law of the ten commandments given at Mt. Sinai. But
having faith to behold how Christ has made us firstborn sons conceived from a
lawful marriage union through the preaching of the gospel this is a gracious
command for the honor of Christ. It is for the honor of our Everlasting Father
that it becomes us as saints to not once let these things be named upon us,
either spiritually or physically.