Ephesians Part 24

Beginning in Ephesians 4:17, Paul draws a sharp line between the old life and the new. Having explained how the Church is to grow together in unity and love, he now turns to how this transformation must be lived out individually. The calling to “walk worthy” (Ephesians 4:1) carries real implications—it defines how God’s people should conduct themselves. To walk worthy of our calling is to live in a way that reflects the values, laws and holiness of the Kingdom of God. It is to live as citizens of His spiritual nation, distinct from the world around us. 

Now Paul says, “You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk.” This marks a turning point in the letter—from doctrine to daily living, from belief to behavior. To “walk as the Gentiles” is to live as those who do not know God, guided by the futility of human reasoning rather than the wisdom of the Spirit. Spiritually speaking, Gentiles are those outside the covenant family, alienated from God’s truth. But through Christ, believers (whether Jew or Gentile) become part of Abraham’s spiritual seed (Galatians 3:26–29). We are no longer outsiders but heirs of the promise, sons and daughters of God (Romans 8:14–17, 1 John 3:1–3). 

Paul describes the walk of the world as “futile in their minds.” This futility is not a lack of intelligence but a lack of spiritual direction. It is reasoning that leads nowhere, thinking disconnected from truth. In Romans 1:21–25, Paul speaks of those who “knew God” but did not glorify Him as God; their hearts became darkened, their minds twisted by idolatry and self-worship. This is the tragedy of a world that exalts knowledge but rejects wisdom. The understanding of those who reject God becomes clouded; they live in darkness, unable to discern what is true. Confusion, deception and disorientation become their status quo.

Isaiah 59:1–4 speaks to this same condition: sin separates humanity from God, not because His arm is short or His ear deaf, but because our iniquities create a wall between us and Him. Spiritual alienation always begins in the heart and manifests in the mind. Those alienated from the life of God no longer seek truth or repentance. They become, as Paul says, “past feeling”—their consciences dulled, their hearts hardened, their sensitivity to sin numbed by repeated compromise. 

The writer Margaret Heffernan once used the term “willful blindness” to describe how people ignore truth when it threatens their comfort or control. Paul describes the same dynamic here. The mind becomes darkened, the heart calloused, the soul desensitized. What begins as ignorance can harden into rebellion. As Isaiah wrote, “No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth” (Isaiah 59:4). Humanity becomes bent inward, driven by perverseness and self-interest rather than the pursuit of righteousness. 

This hardening leads to the next stage Paul names: 

“They have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Ephesians 4:19). 

This is not simply moral failure; it is spiritual surrender to corruption. Lewdness (or licentiousness) is the exercise of freedom without restraint, the attitude that says, “I can do what I want.” It is, in essence, a license to sin. This mindset dominates much of modern life: the pursuit of pleasure, power and personal freedom without accountability to God. Paul warns that this path leads only to enslavement. What begins as self-expression ends in spiritual bondage. 

Christ then taught that to follow Him, one must deny self, take up the cross, and lose one’s life for His sake. “What will it profit a man,” He asked, “if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?”  

UYA Team | uya@ucg.org  

United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of the young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.