In Paul's exhortation to the Ephesians to walk in a manner worthy of the calling, he explains. "You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds" (Eph 4:17). That's interesting, isn't it? "Futility of the mind." What does he mean? He explains that "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" (Eph 4:18). That's apparently the idea. But is there more? Can we gather more on this?
The concept of "futility" here is "inutility." It's "not working". So ... in what way are their minds not working? Their understanding it darkened. They're ignorant. They're blind. A lot like "the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Cor 4:4). And "Even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (Rom 1:21). Sin, you see, rots the brain (Rom 1:22, 28). And the inutility here is especially in relation to the things of God (1 Cor 2:14).
In Ephesians 2, Paul wrote, "Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest" (Eph 2:3). Thus, this "futility of the mind" is the "indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind." Because "the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so" (Rom 8:7). And we believe the lies that lust is good (Eph 4:22). The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer 17:9) and we're pretty sure we're just fine. We need a renewed mind (Rom 12:2).
2 comments:
This ties into the comment I left a few posts ago about clothing. Our thinking needs to be changed as we grow in sanctification, and part of that change is considering how our actions interact with others and how they glorify God.
“We need a renewed mind (Rom 12:2).” Indeed. And first comes regeneration of the heart, which is hardened, darkened, and foolish by default, prohibiting our minds from functioning properly where it matters most--knowing God. We might be able to advance some aspects of our minds through education and other worldly self-improvement efforts, but we can’t fix the core problem that renders us hostile to God and to the Gospel--not even with a heart transplant. How gracious of the Lord to bestow in me a new, regenerated heart that can then seek to love Him with all my heart, soul, and mind. May I fully utilize the Holy Spirit’s endeavors to renew and expand my mind to fully know “the things of the Spirit of God.”
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