The Futility Of A Christless Life Series

Dr. Bradford W. Reaves

Crossway Christian Fellowship

Hagerstown, MD

www.mycrossway.org

View This Sermon at: https://mycrossway.churchcenter.com/episodes/123580

As we’ve said in previous messages, Chapter 4 marks a critical transition in the letter to the Ephesians. The first three chapters of this letter present a profound theological explanation of the astounding spiritual mystery that exists in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now we are leaving the theological understanding of the spiritual significance of the gospel and moving into the practical aspects of being called a child of God. There are significant and contemporary qualities that should be evident in the Christian life. So for the remainder of his letter, Paul presents a series of exhortations toward godly living.

The division between chapters 1 through to 3 and chapters 4 through to 6 is, in some senses, illustrative of that division within modern evangelicalism. There are some who lean sharply toward the foundation of doctrine. While others place a greater emphasis on the praxis of Christianity. Paul is not providing us an either/or narrative here, but because of this, the results should be demonstrated like this.

Specifically, what Paul is telling us in his letter to the Ephesians is connected right back to the first word of this transitional chapter, “Therefore.” For the sake of clarity, let me underscore this a little more before we get into today’s text.

?In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (Ephesians 1:7)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— (Ephesians 2:4–5)

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, (Ephesians 2:19)

And so on. All throughout this letter, Paul is unveiling the richness of God’s eternal blessing available to you who call Jesus Lord. Now once again, we look here at verse 17. Therefore - because of all of this:

?Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:17–24)

I. The Weight of Warning : Your Salvation Means Something to the Rest of Your Life

Paul starts this passage with the words “Now this I say and testify in the Lord...” What Paul is about to say is life and death. The words have eternal meaning and eternal consequences. Don’t miss the point of what I’m about to say...”

As I sit here and write this message, the world is falling into deeper despair. To read the headlines we come to a realization that there is little hope in the world. There are continued unchecked horrors of war happening in Ukraine, not to mention the atrocities happening in China, Ethiopia, and a continued growing list of human suffering. A little closer to home, we have a growing mob of people who are demanding the legalized murder of unborn and newly born children. People who celebrate their participation in the murder of babies, while decrying the acts of removing a bird’s nest. There are impending food shortages, a manufactured energy crisis, increasing racial divides, surging lawlessness at our border and cities, sexualization in our kindergarten classes, and perversion in our children’s cartoons. The growing list of how this world is abandoning God’s moral law is distressing.

I think it would be a fair question if someone were to ask, "So why do we focus our attention on such small, personal matters when there are largely social and global issues to be concerned about?” My answer would be that the Christian message of salvation places the condition of the world on the sinful nature of man. In other words, the effective influence of the gospel on the world and the righteous ministry of the church go hand in hand.

in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2)