Verse: Ephesians 4:17-19
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
Thoughts
One time, years ago, my friend and I were driving home from a soccer game 3 hours away, and we got lost. The problem is that we didn’t know it! We were driving on I-95 and didn’t realize we had driven past our exit until an hour after we passed it!
Have you ever been lost and not realized it? What sticks out to me in this passage is that there IS another way (other than the way of Jesus) and that often when we walk on it, we don’t even realize it!
In secular society (and even in some Christian circles) it is popular to say that as long as you are a “good person” and are “spiritual” that Jesus approves. Do you think that is really true? Does it really not matter what we believe or how we live our lives?
Jesus himself said some of the hardest things in the New Testament. For instance:
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
According to Jesus—there is another path. Not all paths lead us to Jesus. Not all paths lead us to becoming more like him. Not all paths lead us to the flourishing life he has for us. Not all paths lead us to eternal life. There are a variety of paths, and God has given us the power to choose.
I think it is easier for us to feel like all things will work out in the end. That as long as we have good intentions, everything will “be ok.” And I fully understand that sentiment. However, Jesus doesn’t seem to teach that. He teaches there is one path, the way of Jesus, that will lead us to life. All other paths do not. They may look good. They may even look similar to following Jesus! But we are called to not be deceived because there are false paths.
Paul, in our passage for today, warns us that there is a way to live your life that will “separate” you “from the life of God.” That’s hard to read isn’t it? He talks of their hearts being hardened, their understanding being darkened and their thinking being futile and ignorant. It almost sounds like they are walking on the wrong path, and they don’t even know it. Because they have chosen NOT to follow Jesus, they have gradually come to believe they are in the right. It is so easy to become self-deceived isn’t it?
So what do we do?
I don’t have all the answers obviously, but for me, I want to let this passage be a sober reminder for us all to live lives of humility and repentance before a mighty and loving God. And to daily seek to walk HIS path, not ours. We will all make mistakes, and he has forgiveness for us every time. But we must stay humble, or we’ll deceive ourselves into thinking our path is better than his. We’ll become guilty of crafting God into our image, rather than the other way around.
Prayer
God I pray you’d show me where I need to repent from walking on my own path rather than walking on your path. Keep me humble God. Keep my heart soft, and my understanding focused on your Word and Spirit.
Author: Christian Dunn
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