2019-5-19 Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth with Pastor Gary Belk

For more recordings, please visit our website: www.itswritten.org

Need prayer? itswritten.org/Prayer_Request.html

(Recorded on May 12, 2019)

Ephesians 4:17-19

17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as [f]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.

Paul is speaking from his own testimony – he walked in the way of the world and it didn’t work.

There’s no shame or consciousness of disobedience in today’s world. Society used to be the reigns that would hold the horse back, but now it’s as if we (society) are the ones feeding the horse and spurring him on to sin.

Let’s examine the meaning of this a little deeper:

Ephesians 4:18

Their understanding was darkened – this is expressed in people when they say things like, “I don’t believe in your God.” The desire to be good is the part of us that is the “image of God” in us. Those who have a darkened understanding no longer have this desire.
Alienated = foreigners = outside of God’s realm and knowledge
Blindness of their heart = ignorance = unwilling to look for or receive God or the things of God = not searching = exchanged the truth for the lie