I want you to obey because you've become the kind of people who have a whole new way of looking at the world,

a new way of looking at sex, a new way of looking at the world, a new way of looking at sex, a new way of looking at

pregnancy, a new way of looking at everything so that new things are lovely, new things are attractive, new things are compelling, new things are

fitting, so that you're free, do what you want to do.

As Christians, why should we do what we do? In this episode of Light and Truth,

John Piper turns to Ephesians 5 verses 1 to 6 to show how the

gospel both creates and motivates new desires. His sermon was originally

preached at Bethlehem Baptist Church on October 26th, 1986.

It is utterly crucial in dealing with a text like this that we see not only what is being

prohibited by the apostle, but also how he motivates us to fulfill the prohibition.

If you don't see how it's to be done then you don't see the gospel and if you don't see the

gospel then the prohibitions become letters that kill rather than spirit that

gives life. You might succeed in morality only to commit suicide. In fact, success in morality apart from the gospel is suicide.

So we have to devote our attention now this morning to not only what is being eliminated from the

Christian life here, but also how it's being eliminated. How does he get these things in verses three and four out of the lives

of Christians? But first we'll talk about what they are. What are the things that are being prohibited in

verses 3 and 4? It says, immorality, all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you.

And then verse four, let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity.

So there they are.

Six things, and this is not a vocabulary test,

this is a test of your purity.

Are there any of these things in your life this morning that you are going to have to deal

...