Ephesians 4:17-19 “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 life 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.”
Speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:15) is not always about soft words and making people feel good. Because he loves us, Paul speaks plainly about the truth of God and about our responsibility. His love is what motivates him to affirm in the Lord that once we have received the gifts of Christ and grow up into out Head that our walk (manner of living) should be different.
We are to no longer walk as we once did (and as others still do). Living according to the morally depraved state (vanity) of our own mind (understanding) is no longer an option for us. Often, when we think of moral depravity, we think of the worst sorts of atrocities committed by men. While genocide, rape, and other heinous crimes clearly show our morally depraved state, we do not have to live to these extremes to be morally depraved.
Have you ever had any other gods in your life, being ruled by money, a hobby, or anything else that took your focus from the True and Living God? Have you ever failed to remember the Sabbath? Have you ever failed to honor your father or mother? The fact is if we can confess that we have ever been guilty of breaking just one of the Ten Commandments, then we have all the proof we need of our moral depravity.
In this state, we are callous and hardened (blind) in the very core of our being (heart). We are estranged from the life of God due to the ignorance that emanates from our blind hearts. As a result for this estrangement, our understanding of the things of God and the gifts of Christ is obscured. Without the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, this is the estate we all find ourselves in. We are powerless to lift ourselves from this condition, but once we have been lifted from it our lives should show a change!
We should not live any longer in apathy (being past feeling). Our indifference to the things of God and the love of Christ gives way to the baser instincts (lasciviousness) of man. Apathy towards Christ and His body opens the door for the materialism that seems to be so rampant in our society. The only antidote for the greed and debauchery of man is the love of Christ and the truth that comes from that love!
May we never refrain from speaking the truth just because it is difficult; it is never as difficult to speak the truth in love as it is to live with the result of not doing so!