Ephesians 5:6

Ephesians 5:6. Let no man deceive you with empty words; words that do not contain truth; the special reference being to palliations of the vices just named. Heathen unbelievers would be most likely to excuse their sins, but in all ages attempts have been made to extenuate them. Covetous-ness especially is scarcely accounted a sin, even among Christians; yet the Apostle condemns it more strongly than the other vice which the heathen then tolerated.

For because of these things, the vices under discussion, c ometh, this too is a present and eternal verity of God's government (comp. Ephesians 5:5), the wrath of God; comp. notes on Romans 1:18. This wrath will have its full manifestation at the day of Judgment, but is visited even here upon the sons of disobedience, i.e. , those who disobey the gospel, being both unbelievers and disobedient; comp. chap. Ephesians 2:2, where, however, the connection makes the former idea less prominent. To be deceived by empty words about these sins leads to this visitation of God's wrath.