Responding with Gratitude - Pt. 7

 

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. (Ephesians 4:17-23 ESV).

 

In some translations of the Bible, this passage tells us not to live “as the pagans do.” That term “pagans” might make you think of primitive people groups of long ago, with idols and all sorts of superstitions and outdated religious rites. But Paul thinks differently. In this passage, “pagans,” or “Gentiles,” are people who get stuck in idle thoughts and unrestrained behaviors associated with human depravity and sin. The idols of these people are mainly in their own hearts. In fact, greed seems to be at the heart of this sinful behavior.

 

This problem is subtle; it hides behind all sorts of modern-day expectations and appearances. The behaviors associated with greed are complacency, the need to be in the limelight, material comforts, popularity, fashion, freedom, and more. And all of these are idols.

 

When Israel entered the land of Canaan, God warned them not to imitate the neighboring peoples in their pagan behaviors (cf. Deuteronomy 8:17-20). And Jesus prayed for his disciples, knowing they were still in the world but “not of the world” (John 17:16). In Ephesians, Paul reminds us again that the Lord calls us to follow him and to leave our old, pagan ways behind.

 

Gratitude for our new life through the grace of God calls us to live differently. This is a good time of the year to reexamine our priorities and values. Seek the real treasure of Christ in your life. Be different!