Futility of their mind
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 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; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (Ephesians 4:17-19 NKJV)
What is the Futily or vanity of the Mind?
The Contemporary English Version is fairly blunt. It says, “As a follower of the Lord, I order you to stop living like stupid, godless people.” Notice, the people who walk in the futility or emptiness or vanity or pointlessness of their minds have also developed hostility toward the life of God. Notice that they are ignorant because of the blindness or hardness of their hearts. They don’t want to be confused with the facts because their minds are already made up. This leads to a lack of empathy or sympathy for others. Because of this mind set, they give themselves over to immorality and greed.
This probably describes many people in the so-called developed nations today.
Christians should not Walk This Way
Christians are not saved by how they walk but by whom they believe. However, if we really believe in Christ, we should want to use Him as our mentor and example. His thinking was so much different than ours. When He was reviled, he rivaled not again. We would normally want to get even. He allowed Himself to be bullied. He didn’t come to kill but to be killed, and He knew that was His destiny when He came into this world. I realize the day is coming when those who have rejected Him will be subject to His wrath, but that day is not now.
Truth is the Cornerstone of a Righteous Life
The Lord never lied. It is impossible for Him to lie according to Hebrews 6:18. He is the way the truth and the life according to John 14:6. This is in contrast to the devil. The Lord says of him, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it
(John 8:44 NKJV).” He is a murderer and a liar and yet people listen to his lies. How can that be? I do not know!
A Dismal Day verses an Eternal Vacation
I am looking out a window on a very dismal gray day. It is raining for which I should be thankful since I have to drive later, and rain is better than snow. But yet I feel depressed. What is the point of trying to do right in this life when those who lie and cheat seem to be the ones who prosper? The rich and powerful are seldom held accountable. Why tell people to trust in the Lord if that is going to make them the object of ridicule and persecution? The apostles were told to take up their crosses and follow the Lord and most of them did and died the death of a martyr. Why should we choose that life? Because this life is not the end, it is just the beginning. I need to keep reminding myself of the promise found in Hebrews: "FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME AND WILL NOT TARRY (Hebrews 10:37 NKJV).”
When the Lord comes, we who have prepared by trusting the Lord now will have the ultimate vacation. The temperature will be right, I suspect there will always be a cool breeze, there will be no more death nor darkness. We will live in the midst of beauty and of good company and probably of good food. And the nice part is that our vacation will never end. Today may be dismal but today is only twenty-four hours, but the glorious eternal day is forever. And there is still room enough for some more to get their ticket punched and to come along.
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the week of December 1, 2019