Sometimes we read passages in the Bible and think ‘Can that really be written to Christians?‘. I think Ephesians 5.3-5 is one of those:
“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 should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting—all of which are out of character—but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
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Paul is saying that sexual immortality and impurity of any kind, or greed must not be present in the lives of the born again believer. We read that it is not fitting for the saints. Maybe your Bible says that we must not even talk of these things. Either way, the truth is that these things (vv.3-4) should be so far from the life of a believer.
The core of all this is sexual immorality (πορνεία, porneia) which covers all sexual contact with someone other than your spouse. All ¹. This then develops and unfolds into vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting. Simply, sexual sins should not be present among the saints. The course of action is very plainly laid out in 1 Corinthians 5 but the strongest deterrent – much stronger than anything a church community can impose – is that no person who is immoral…has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Simply, our sexual sins are building back up the barriers that Christ died to remove. They are adding distance between us and God that Jesus died to remove. We are, through sexual sin, removing ourselves from the kingdom of Christ and God.
Sometimes we read passages in the Bible and think ‘Can that really be written to Christians?‘. Sadly, yes, Ephesians 5.3-5 and this devotional teaching are written to Christians. If you struggle with sexual sin, please, reach out for help.
James Travis 
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