Real Change (Ephesians 4:17-24)

SCRIPTURE

Ephesians 4:17-24

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

COMMENT

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity

We must no longer walk in ignorance. To do so indicates an alienation from God. Paul talks about the darkness that they live in, and of their understanding. Yes, this makes sense. When we think of talking to someone who does not have all the facts, or who has skewed facts or been lied to, yet they believe in their heart what they know to be true, it is almost if not completely impossible to convince them of the truth. Their beliefs constrain them to living in a way that is does not conform with reality, because they are living in a reality of their own. Even when presented with proof, these folks are hard to convince because this new truth conflicts with their perceived truth, and they do not want to entertain the reality that they might be wrong. So, in a sense, they surrender themselves to what they believe to be true. As the gentiles of Paul's time did this meant belief in idols and worshipping with temple prostitutes.

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness

But Jesus is more that just a means to salvation, He is our Savior in the here and now. The truth demands a response. Christians call it repentance. Not just turning your back on sin, but putting off your old self. Not one foot in heaven an one on earth, but two feet planted firmly in the gospel's life changing message, now and from this day forward.