Page 130 - Ephesians

It’s important to grasp the principle before you jump into the out-
workings. When I say “grasp”, I’m not talking about a mental
understanding. You know I’m talking about Spirit illumination.
Nothing is more lifeless than a doctrinal approach to Christian
living. For my own self, I’m fed up to my Adam’s apple with these
ideas on how to live a victorious Christian life. I want revelation!
For seven years of my Christian life I got burned out, as I sought a
method to know the Lord. We don’t want theories. If what I give
is not God, throw it away.

Let me begin by making a few comments about 4:17-24 as a
whole. First, notice that the Holy Spirit pictures an extreme case.
Listen as he describes gentiles.

“They walk in the futility of their mind, darkened in their
understanding, excluded from the life of God, hardness of
heart, become callous, giving themselves over to sensuality
for the practice of every kind of impurity and greediness”.
Could it be worse than this?

When you read this description, this question comes to mind.
“What kind of horrible Christians did the Apostle Paul think these
Ephesians were? He describes them saying, “Don’t be like that,
don’t walk as the gentiles walk”. He pictures the heathen at their
heathen worse. He pictures them excluded from the life of God,
given over to sensuality and practicing lawlessness. Then he
says to these victorious Christians, “Don’t be like that.” In one
sense you say, “What an insult! Great day! He didn’t have to be
so strong in his language. He could write that to the Corinthians.
But we’re up in the heaven-lies with Christ. We have seen how
rich we are in the Lord.”

It’s one thing to slip backwards, and lose your temper once in a
while. Carry a grudge, or be unforgiving. Harbor some bad
thoughts, and let a bad word slip out. You might fall into lust, and
then come back to the Lord. But this – “Excluded from the life
of God, hardened in their hearts, callous to their
conscience”. That’s pretty bad!