Now once again, let us turn to
the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, chapter four, and this evening
we'll read verses 17, 18, and 19. The Epistle of Paul to the
Ephesians, chapter four, verses 17, 18, and 19. This I say, therefore,
and testify in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other
Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding
darkened, being alienated from the light of God through the
ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart,
who being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness,
to work all uncleanness with greediness." The Apostle Paul here gives gracious
words of exhortation to the Ephesians and of course these words of
exhortation apply to the whole Church of God down through the
ages and he's speaking here about how the Gentiles and that means
in the Word of God really those who are ungodly, those who know
not the Lord And he says, this I say therefore and testify in
the Lord that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk
in the vanity of their mind. It's an important consideration
for us to realize that here we have the gracious words of God
directing us not to follow the way of the ungodly, not to follow
the Gentiles, who walk not in accordance with the word of God,
but walk in accordance with the vanity of their own mind. God has no place in their life. They are not concerned to do
the will of God. They are not concerned to obey
the voice of God. They are not concerned about
following his gracious and wonderful example. there is this very direct
warning, as the Apostle says. He testifies in the Lord, it's
not his words, it's the words which God has given to instruct
us how we should walk in this world and not as other Gentiles
walk. It's very easy for us to kind
of make a comparison and say well so and so does this and
so and so does that and therefore it must be alright. The reality
is, is it always in accordance with God's gracious word. He's given us the word of God
in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation to direct us in all
that we do and say and above all things to direct us to the
Lord Jesus Christ and his wonderful sacrifice upon Calvary. The Gentiles, the ungodly, never
look to Calvary. They're never concerned to think
about the great and glorious work of the Saviour. What a blessing,
therefore, if we have in our hearts that desire to truly hear
and learn of Him and to follow His gracious and glorious example
and know something of that fellowship with His sufferings. This is
the walk. of the child of God and this
is not following the way of the Gentiles who walk in the vanity
of their mind. And the apostle goes on and says,
having the understanding darkened and being alienated from the
life of God through ignorance. Well how true that is really
in the world today. Generally that's the true position.
Their understanding is darkened. do not possess the great and
glorious blessing of light. And therefore they are alienated
from the life of God. It's a very sad and a very solemn
situation. We read that chapter in Isaiah,
it's a very lovely chapter, and just really we read it because
of that which was contained in the second verse. And this is
what it says, and this is a difference. This points out the difference
really between those who are in the dark and those who are
in the light. The people that walked in darkness have seen
a great light. They that dwell in the land of
the shadow of death, upon them hath a light shined. Now these
are those who have been enlightened by the glorious grace of God. Those who have not been remain
in that gentile state. in this terrible condition of
darkness. And of course that darkness which
the Gentiles, the ungodly, walking in the earth today will never
give them the true light of the Gospel. Their understandings
darken. They don't observe the glorious
truth there is contained in the Word of God. They have no desire
to read the Word of God. They see no beauty in the glorious
light of the Lord Jesus Christ who tells us, I am the light
of the world. Because when that light shines
from the Saviour, what a difference it makes, how it changes us,
what a blessing it is. And so here we have this statement,
the understanding darkened, or what a blessing if our understanding
is not darkened, but if our understanding has been spiritually enlightened. and that we are not alienated
from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them. To be alienated from the life
of God is a terrible situation. It really means that we're separate
from God, we're enemies of God, we walk contrary to God, we see
no attraction in the things of God, and therefore we should
be so concerned to be found not walking as the Gentiles, as the
world does, by concern to be walking in the light of the glorious
gospel and not be found in that ignorant condition of which we
were born in and which we remain in, unless the gracious God looks
upon us and gives us that glorious sight, that spiritual sight,
to behold glorious things out of the law of God and to see
by faith the blessed Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, and then
to behold his wonderful love to unworthy sinners of the earth,
by nature Gentiles. What a wonderful blessing it
is to prove in our own hearts the amazing change which God
does to those who he's loved in everlasting love. And he says,
because of the blindness of their heart, yes, who being past feeling,
have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness
with greediness. Completely contrary to the true
path of a believer. Because the true path of a believer
is to follow the example of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,
who of course we know despised the shame and endured the cross,
so that you and I might possess the light of the Gospel and that
we might be blessed with that spiritual understanding and not
be left ignorant and not being left to ourselves like Gentiles
are. given themselves over unto lasciviousness
to work all uncleanness with greediness well I'm sure we have
to say as one of the puritans said when he watched somebody
being taken to the scaffold and he said but for the grace of
God there go I none of us can claim to be good
in ourselves but we can claim the blessed righteousness of
the Saviour if He shone that light into our heart. And so tonight as we think on
these three verses, they're very significant. They direct us to
the things that we should turn away from and desire to have
the wonderful evidence of the light of the Gospel shining into
our hearts. Well my God, instruct us and
bless us. Amen.