NOT A HINT!

TODAY'S READING: Ecc. 10-12; Ps. 94; Eph. 5

SCRIPTURE

Eph. 5: 2,3 & 5 [TNIV] [2] and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
[3] But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for the Lord's people. [5] For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[Or kingdom of the Christ and God]

OBSERVATION

I have been wrestling with, "there must not be even a hint of" ...
Who among us haven't said or hear after watching a movie or television show, "Well, it wasn't that bad"
What does "not even a hint" look like?
I grasp when I see the commercial on TV for "Swing town" - I find the commercial offense, but what do I watch without even giving it a second thought and yet it has a hint of impurity.
I was talking with some friends about these very verses and asked, "So, is the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit addition a hint of impurity or sexual immorality?" And one of them said it was pornographic!
Although I don't find it pornographic - it does seem to cross the line when it comes to a hint of impurity.
Here was the confusion for me before meditating on these verses.
I thought that if you were looking at a picture of some girl in a bikini, or Victoria Secret lingerie that it was only a sin if you lusted after that individual. So, if I not lusting, I'm not sinning, right?
Wrong! The sin isn't just the lusting, the sin can be the adoration. Look at verse 5 of Ephesians chapter 5. It says that such a person is an idolater, and has no inheritance in the kingdom of God.
It seems to me that the sin, isn't lust, the sin is misplaced adoration. If I have the need to ooh and ahh over someone it had better be my own wife or God.

APPLICATION

I need to rethink what is appropriate, Paul sets a high bar for us, "there must not be even a hint of" -
Are there shows I watch on TV that I need to quit watching?
Are there movies that I shouldn't watch or should walk out of?
Is it appropriate to look at Victoria Secret catalogs?
When is looking at some one you find attractive - leering?

Prayer

Father,
I'm not sure I can trust my own heart or mind with this one. May the Holy Spirit convict me. I believe that the secret to success here is going to be spending more time adoring you, and less time adoring others.
Help me out with this one -