I DISAGREE!

Sunday, August 26, 2018

I DISAGREE!

Eph 4:17-19

17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

           I have Christian friends and even pastors who are continually wrangling over philosophical points of view and the various ways one should function as a Christian. Disagreements over music styles, clothing styles, and whether or not a Christian should drink alcohol are some examples. It grieves me since I have true friends on either side of the arguments and I am constantly wondering why there is a philosophical disconnect. I think the above verses offer clues.

           The “walk” refers to the lifestyle, or the way things are done, based upon the understanding of Scriptures and the will of God. One sees things one way and another sees things very differently and they walk accordingly but Paul warns the Ephesians to be careful not to walk in the vanity of their own mind. The question which surfaces is “can we trust our own opinions?”

           The word “understanding” in verse 18 is rendered “deep thought” and the word “darkened” means obscured by some object or thing. That which is obscuring clear understanding is their alienation from God. The word “alienated” means “a passive estrangement.” So, if we are not closely associated with God, we tend to drift away from a clear understanding of God’s thoughts and wishes. We begin to form patterns of thought and styles of behavior that belie our claim as believers. Soon we look like a “sanitized”  unbeliever.

           The real problem is our “blindness of heart” which we see also in verse 18. The word “blindness” means “stupidity or callousness.” The problem, then, is not that we know not but that, when we know what we should do, we callously refuse to do it. I think that another word might be “rebellion.”

           The result is that the subject is rendered “past feeling” which literally means “to grieve out or to become apathetic.” Once they felt guilt and sorrow over sin but now they no longer feel guilt, shame, or sorrow. This condition causes them to “give themselves over” to impurity. They now allow thought and behavior which would have been foreign prior to their loss of feeling through neglect of God. They have become practical atheists claiming to be Christians.

           The cure is found in verses 23 and 24 in which Paul urges them to be “renewed in the spirit of their minds and to put on the new man which is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

           When approached about their philosophical and spiritual disconnect, the subjects display a clear misuse of grace claiming that they are now permitted to do that which the Bible teaches to be wrong. This is now “willful ignorance” (2 Peter 3:5).

Dear Lord, keep me from supposing that my philosophical superiority trumps your clear teachings. My need is not a paradigm shift. My need is revival. AMEN