Not even be named among you

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. - Ephesians 5v3-4


What suits Christians? How should we act? What things “fit” us? While we are free from the Law there are still things that God says to us that help us live the way He wants us to live. The context here is still about imitating God. If we want to imitate God there are many things that don’t suit us.

There is a short list here; fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, and coarse jesting. God says some things about these. They are not fitting in the life of the believer, they are no convenient, and they are not even to be named among believers. I don’t know enough Greek to know the superior translation, but I really like the way the AV translates this passage regarding these things – “let it not be once named among you.” These things should never be named among us, not even once.

We might be able to say, “Well fornication, uncleanness, and filthiness are not part of my life.” Super! But what about the rest? What about covetousness? What about foolish talking? What about coarse jesting? I don’t think we need to define those terms, we all know what they mean.

In this list there is not a break down of which of these are worse or better. None of these things suit God’s children. None of them belong in our lives – not even once.