Counterfeit Love: Impure Speech (1)

There are several characteristics of counterfeit love mentioned in Ephesians 5:3-4, but each falls into one of two general categories: impure acts or impure speech. Paul first lists those and then closes with the consequences of such sin and some counsel to Believers. Having examined impure acts, we now turn to impure speech.

Why did Paul write verse 4? Perhaps because after reading verse 3, many Christians would be tempted to say, “Oh, I am not one of these sex-offenders; after all, I’m happily married. I’m certainly not guilty of those terrible sins.” But even man’s language is defiled and impure. As our Lord declared, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matt. 12:34), and again. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt. 15:19). We again see three terms in verse 4.

First, there is filthiness, which is the Greek aischrotes, the root of which (aisch) originally referred to that which was ugly and disgraceful and came to refer to that which is just indecent. Greek authority Spiros Zodhiates summarizes its significant: “Impropriety, a summarizing improper conduct whether in action or word or even thought and intent; indecorum of any kind; conduct which when exposed by the light makes the person ashamed of himself; ugly, shameful conduct of any kind; conduct which is contrary to a person who follows after God (only in Eph. 5:4). Attachment and conformity to God requires a conduct of which God is not ashamed and which could not bring shame to the person when it is brought to light.”

How full our world is today with such filthiness! I was reminded of Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. The story describes a painted portrait of a man that ages and grows ugly to coincide with the man’s life of immorality, while the man himself remains youthful and handsome. A movie was actually made from the book in 1945, and even then the special effects were good enough to show the features of the man in the portrait change from attractiveness to revulsion. What’s interesting, however, is that while the story seems to condemn such lifestyle, Wilde was actually defending it, and, in fact, defending his own immoral life. In Chapter 2, for example, he wrote, “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.” In defense of his writing, which critics called immoral, he wrote in the Preface of the novel, “There is no such thing as a moral or immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.” The same attitude exists in our day, when men are amoral and everything is relative. Like the character in his novel, however, Wilde’s filthiness led to his ruin. After a two year prison term for sodomy, Wilde’s health, money, fame, and even writing talent were gone. There is, therefore, no place for ugliness and indecency in the Believer’s life.

Second, there is foolish talking. This term, and the next, is much more subtle and more prevalent than the first term. Many people would never live or speak blatant filthiness, but they would (and do) practice these two. Foolish talking, which is found only here in the New Testament, comes from the Greek morologia. The Greek moros (English “moron”) means “silly, stupid, foolish” and logia comes from log, which means “word or discourse.” The idea here, then, is the speaking of things that are foolish and pointless. Writing to a pastor, Paul uses this idea again: “But avoid foolish [moros] questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain” (Titus 3:9), which is wise counsel for a pastor. Solomon adds, “The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness” (Prov. 15:2).

There is no point in conversing with the Christ-rejecting person who babbles foolishly. But may we also submit, neither is there any point in conversing with a Christian who does the same thing. How much talk there is today about nothing! Today’s “talk shows” (secular and Christian) are filled with such pointless discussion. We hear many give their opinions, but no one presents or even wants the absolutes that are contained in God’s Word. Indeed, many want “a forum for opinion,” not a statement of Truth. This was exactly what Paul declared to the Corinthians. In essence he said, “I did not come to the Greek forum to debate some new philosophy, but rather to preach the Truth of the Gospel” (I Cor. 2:1-5).

Tragically, may we add, there’s even a lot of “moronic speech” spewing from pulpits today. From “feel-good” sermonettes to psychological rambling, Truth is absent. Where the Word of God is not heeded, a Christian should not even waste his time. If people do not want the Truth, if they do not want what God says, there is nothing left to say. Let us not waste our time on foolish talking rather invest our time in wisdom.