New Life in Christ, part 2

Posted by josh on Feb 2, 2011 in bible study, christian life, theology |

In my previous study article, we looked in depth at the seventeenth verse of chapter four in the letter to the Ephesians about not walking (patterning our way of life) after the Gentiles (those who do not know God) who walk in the futility of their minds. I would like to continue expounding on this truth of “new life in Christ” that Paul speaks of. Let us now look at verse eighteen.

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.

Paul states that Gentiles who do not know God are darkened in their understanding. When writing to the Romans, Paul said the following about futility and darkness:

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21 (English Standard Version)

We see in Romans a correlation between futility and darkness. Darkened hearts bring about futile minds, which in turn bring about corrupt living. We will look at this principal more in a moment. In contrast, we as believers are to be enlightened. In fact, Paul urges us to walk as children of light because we are no longer in darkness (Eph.5:8-13). Also, Paul prays the following prayer for believers in Christ:

…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, (Eph.1:17-18)

So as we established in the previous article that there are two mindsets out of which people operate. That is the mindset of the flesh, and the mindset of the Spirit. So too, there are two spiritual conditions of the faculty of mind. That is the darkened mind (which coincides with the carnal mind) and the enlightened mind (which coincides with the Spiritual mind). It is the role of the Holy Spirit to enlighten believers and the god of this world darkens unbelievers minds. We see this spiritual principle throughout the scriptures. The following passage expounds on the how and why Gentiles are darkened in their understanding.

For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God. For what we preach is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves [merely] as your servants (slaves) for Jesus’ sake. For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). (2 Corinthians 4:4-6 Amplified Bible)

So in the above passage we see that the god of this world plays a pivotal role in the “darkening process” of Gentiles. Elsewhere the scriptures say: “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” The Greek word that Paul uses for our English word understanding is dianoia which literally means “a thinking through.” Dianoia combines nous, “mind,” and dia, “through.” The word suggests understanding, insight, meditation, reflection, perception, the gift of apprehension, the faculty of thought. When this faculty is renewed by the Holy Spirit, the whole mind-set changes from the fearful negativism of the carnal mind to the vibrant, positive thinking of the quickened spiritual mind. From a “darkened” thought process to an “enlightened” thought process. Having said all this thus far about our understanding, what John shares in his letter should have all the more meaning to us.

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding (dianoia), so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20 ESV)

This understanding is a gift we must receive in order to know him who is true. It is not something that can be acquired on our own efforts or through human wisdom. It is a spiritual impartation to a spiritual people.
According to Luke 24:45, we read that it is Jesus who opens up our faculty of mind to understand (be enlightened) about spiritual truth and understand the Scriptures.

It is for this reason that Gentiles (those who do not know God) are darkened in their understanding. Outside of Jesus (who is the light of the world) there is no other source of true illumination. Paul goes on to say that Gentiles are alienated from the life of God. This is not the first time he mentions this idea of being alienated from God. We see earlier on he introduces this concept to the Ephesian believers when discussing their lives prior to coming into relationship with the Messiah.

remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Ephesians 2:12 (ESV)

The above passage is a clear description of someone’s position outside of Christ; one that has not entered into “new life in Christ.” All the characteristics Paul mentions here have to do with utter estrangement from the living Christ. Separated, alienated, strangers, hopeless, and without God… Wow, he is admonishing these believers and in essence us as well that although this once described our manner of life, it is not to do so anymore. However, many of us still live and operate with a mindset “outside of Christ” even though we are now “in Christ.” Remember, he is writing to believers admonishing them to no longer walk as Gentiles. Another words, we may be believers, but fall prey to living like nonbelievers. That is the thrust of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. To understand our position “in Christ.” He emphasizes who we are, what we are, and what we all have “in Christ.” The problem is when we live “in us”…by that I mean living ignorant of our spiritual authority and inheritance (see Eph.1:11) and living life in the fleshly realm rather than the spiritual.

This alienation that the Gentiles live in is because of the ignorance that is in them due to their hardness of heart. Many people correlate ignorance with strictly mental capacity or lack thereof. However, we see here that ignorance is a byproduct of a hard heart. Ignorance is more than merely a mental issue–it is a heart issue. For this reason we must guard our hearts against becoming hard to God and spiritual things. Or as the writer of Hebrews tells us…

12[Therefore beware] brethren, take care, lest there be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to cleave to, trust in, and rely on Him], leading you to turn away and desert or stand aloof from the living God.
13But instead warn (admonish, urge, and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called Today, that none of you may be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [by the fraudulence, the stratagem, the trickery which the delusive glamor of his sin may pay on him].
14For we have become fellows with Christ (the Messiah) and share in all He has for us, if only we hold our first newborn confidence and original assured expectation [in virtue of which we are believers] firm and unshaken to the end.
15Then while it is [still] called Today, if you would hear His voice and when you hear it, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion [in the desert, when the people provoked and irritated and embittered God against them].
16For who were they who heard and yet were rebellious and provoked [Him]? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?
17And with whom was He irritated and provoked and grieved for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dismembered bodies were strewn and left in the desert?
18And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who disobeyed [who had not listened to His word and who refused to be compliant or be persuaded]?
19So we see that they were not able to enter [into His rest], because of their unwillingness to adhere to and trust in and rely on God [unbelief had shut them out]. (Hebrews 3:12-19 Amplified Bible)

So in this passage we see a similar plea: those who are in covenant with God are to live “in Him” and not let hardness of heart keep us from the promise. See Hebrews chapter four that discusses entering his rest. After developing this “hardness of heart,” Paul goes on to tell the Ephesians that this leads to being calloused to God (v 19) and spiritual things and a life of sensuality. We will pick up with this callousness and giving ourselves up to sensuality in the following “New life in Christ” article.

Check out our latest podcasts on related subject matter:

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