17 THIS I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart."
Ephesians 4:18 (NKJV)
• Why are the Gentiles, the unbelievers, walk in the futility of minds?
- They are SO, because:
a. Their understanding is darkened.
b. They are alienated from the life of God.
c. There is ignorance in them, because of the blindness of their heart or Mind.
I. Someone who is not born-again, who has not received Jesus as his or her Lord and Saviour, has an understanding that is darkened.
a. Such a person's understanding is blurred, and indistinct.
b. Such cannot see things clearly or reason aright, in line with God and His Will.
c. The eyes of understanding of such, the light on the inside, is out completely:
3 BUT EVEN IF OUR GOSPEL IS VEILED, IT IS VEILED TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, 4 WHOSE MINDS THE god OF THIS AGE HAS BLINDED, WHO DO NOT BELIEVE, LEST THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, SHOULD SHINE ON THEM" (2 Corinthians 4:3,4 NKJV).
d. When the gospel is preached to such, they could not understand it.
e. Things of the Spirit sound foolish to him or her: "FOR THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, BUT TO US WHO ARE BEING SAVED IT IS THE POWER OF GOD" (1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV).
f. Such could not comprehend it. They do not have the understanding of what is being said, because it could only be discerned by the spirit. Apostle Paul said: "BUT THE NATURAL MAN DOES NOT RECEIVE THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD, FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS TO HIM; NOR CAN HE KNOW THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED" (1 Corinthians 2:14).
II. Such a person is alienated from the life of God.
- The person is unfamiliar with the life of God. The Life of God, Zoe, or the power of God, is strange to such.
- What makes God, the God, is His Life. The life of the flesh is in the blood; someone who is physically dead has no blood in his or her body (Leviticus 17:11).
- The unbelievers, children of Disobedience, sinners in general, do not have what can make them like God—the life of God [Zoe]. They cannot be like God because they do not have His Life in them.
- Jesus came to give Life to mankind:
'THE thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND THAT THEY MAY HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY" (John 10:10 NKJV).
"JESUS SAID TO HER, “I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME, THOUGH HE MAY DIE, HE SHALL LIVE."
John 11:25 (NKJV)
- Those who believe that Jesus died for their Sin and resurrected for their justification would have the Life in them (Romans 4:25; 10:9).
III. They, the unbelievers, are ignorant
- They lack the knowledge of God; do not know His ways, and how He does things:
"HE MADE KNOWN HIS WAYS to MOSES, His Acts to the children of Israel" (Psalm 103:7 NKJV).
"BUT THE NATURAL MAN DOES NOT RECEIVE THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD, FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS TO HIM; NOR CAN HE KNOW THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED."
I Corinthians 2:14
IV. Their minds are blind.
- The blindness of mind is worse than the physical blindness (John 9:39,41).
- Someone with a blind mind, reasons awkwardly; such a person sense's of judgement is low, especially on the things of the Spirit.
- The people who are spiritually blind judge based on what they can see physically, and their feelings. Their feelings, emotions, govern them.
- They do what they feel like doing. They act, do things according to the dictates of the flesh. They tend to act on their impulses, whenever anything happens.
- If a man who is spiritually blind felt like having an immoral affair, with an opposite sex, whether the person is his spouse or not, he would go ahead and do that. If they felt like taking alcoholic drinks, they would do that.
- They act impulsively. They do things without considering the Will of God on whatever they wanted to do, and may not consider the feelings of their fellow human beings.
- A natural person, an unbeliever, care not about the commands or principles of God. They are selfish and do not regard or consider the feelings of others—how what they do would affect others.
- The Bible says, every human is like that, but through redemption, those who have come to Christ are transformed:
3 AMONG WHOM ALSO WE ALL ONCE CONDUCTED OURSELVES IN THE LUSTS OF OUR FLESH, FULFILLING THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH AND OF THE MIND, AND WERE BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH, JUST AS THE OTHERS. 4 BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE WITH WHICH HE LOVED US, 5 EVEN when we were dead in trespasses, MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (by grace you have been saved), 6 AND RAISED US UP TOGETHER, AND MADE US SIT TOGETHER IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS" (Ephesians 2:3-6 (NKJV).
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
- The hold of the enemy, the devil, is completely destroyed in your life in Jesus' name.
- Receive your healing now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Peace.
STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).
- If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!