Past Feeling
Past Feeling. How are Christians and non-Christians different? Paul, when writing to the church at Ephesus, characterizes the difference.
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;
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to
work all uncleanness with greediness.
20
But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and
have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off,
concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of
your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created
according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:17-24, NKJV
Past Feeling
How are Christians and non-Christians different? What does it mean to become beyond feeling?
Paul,
when writing to the church at Ephesus, characterizes the difference.
Verses 17 through 19 describe the old man (non-Christian), and verses 20 through 24
describe the new man (Christian). Sometimes, as Christians, the waters
get muddied up when we turn back to the ideals of the world.
Gentiles
walk, in the futility of their mind, 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; who, being
past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all
uncleanness with greediness.
Do
the Gentiles know that they are spiritually blind? No; as a matter of
fact, some of them consider themselves to be Christians. Is their
situation hopeless? If they continue to look to themselves and to the
world for answers, yes. However, there is always hope in Christ.
But
you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have
been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off,
concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your
mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to
God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Our
salvation is completely given to us by Christ; no work that we do can
achieve a right relationship before God. However, notice that we are
told to "put off" the old man, and to "put on" the new man. As a
Christian, we are new in Christ; everything about us changes! Our heart
is no longer blind; we have true hope in Christ. No longer being
alienated from God, our life now has purpose. We know that God puts us
in various places and stations of life to be a testimony for Christ to
those around us.
What a glorious day to be a Christian!
Pray today that your heart would be spiritually alive in Christ, and not beyond feeling.
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