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The Old Self (3 of 5)
Series: Ephesians
D. Marion Clark
Ephesians 4:17-19
Introduction
We wrapped up two Sundays ago the first section of chapter 4 on the theme of church unity. We now move into the subject of what constitutes Christian moral behavior. Look with me at the text, Ephesians 4:17-19.
Text
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. 18 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. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
The first phrase - Now this I say and testify in the Lord - indicates a new subject. Paul is now moving toward another focus, which is important to him. To ''testify in the Lord'' is a solemn declaration.
So what is weighing on Paul's mind? It is that walk which he first spoke of in verse 1: ''you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do.'' In verse 1, the walk involved the manner in which Christians are to build up one another as the body of Christ. Here the walk is presented as a contrast to the believers' former way of life. That is what is meant by ''Gentiles'' in this instance. Jonny McGreevy will tell us that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who are Irish and those who wish they were. Scripture actually had a neat division as well up until Christ's coming: those who were Jewish, belonging to the covenant people of God, and those who were not, i.e. Gentiles.
Look at Paul's description of the Gentiles back to 2:11-12:
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called ''the uncircumcision'' by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands- 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope an ...
Series: Ephesians
D. Marion Clark
Ephesians 4:17-19
Introduction
We wrapped up two Sundays ago the first section of chapter 4 on the theme of church unity. We now move into the subject of what constitutes Christian moral behavior. Look with me at the text, Ephesians 4:17-19.
Text
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. 18 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. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
The first phrase - Now this I say and testify in the Lord - indicates a new subject. Paul is now moving toward another focus, which is important to him. To ''testify in the Lord'' is a solemn declaration.
So what is weighing on Paul's mind? It is that walk which he first spoke of in verse 1: ''you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do.'' In verse 1, the walk involved the manner in which Christians are to build up one another as the body of Christ. Here the walk is presented as a contrast to the believers' former way of life. That is what is meant by ''Gentiles'' in this instance. Jonny McGreevy will tell us that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who are Irish and those who wish they were. Scripture actually had a neat division as well up until Christ's coming: those who were Jewish, belonging to the covenant people of God, and those who were not, i.e. Gentiles.
Look at Paul's description of the Gentiles back to 2:11-12:
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called ''the uncircumcision'' by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands- 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope an ...
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