Futility of their Mind
Futility of their Mind
Olsen et al.,in their book Viewing the World Ecologically,referred to “Worldviews as ‘mental lenses’ or cognitive and perceptual maps that we continually use to find our way through the social landscape surrounding us….The dominant worldview in the culture of a society normally pertains to the totality of human existence and most aspects of social life. Virtually everything that we experience is shaped by the perceptions provided by our view of the world. Since the dominant worldview is generally held by most members of that society, it normally establishes the culturally accepted definitions of social reality…For example, a recent survey of college students in the United States found that over one-third of them believe that ghosts exist, and two-fifths of them believe that it is possible to communicate with the dead (Eve 1988).”
Apostle Paul has by the power of the Holy Spirit documented the World’s prevailing worldview in Ephesians 4:17-24. Please read with me:
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of[d] 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.
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
What is your worldview? The World’s (the rest of the Gentiles) worldview results to futility of their minds because at the end it alienates them from God. It is fueled by a darkened understanding of who God is. The World operates under total ignorance and lack of the knowledge of God. As a result, their hearts are blinded by their desires and the devil. There is no restraint whatsoever because there is no more feeling of pain and consequences.
Lust and lewdness has taken over and now everything and anything goes – nothing is sacred anymore. People are happy to flaunt their sins and gladly tell you “we are just living together” without marriage; “I am a proud LGBT”, “I am having a baby and I don’t need a man in my life” and etc. Along with all of this is the sin of greediness because they cannot have enough of the lust and the greed for money that goes with it. It is, “whatever I can get at any cost to someone I want it”. This is the World around us today. This is where we used to live.
The headlines have not changed since Adam and Eve failed. To the Romans 2000 years ago, Paul writes, “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened…26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,[c] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,[d] unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” Romans 1:21-28. It is the same today
The World’s thinking does not first ask, “What does God say or think on this issue?” It does not mean that there are no good intellectual thinkers and views that have advanced science, technology and the arts and have benefited humanity. What does it matter, if you designed the latest Apple iPhone 6 and don't know God and headed to hell? The main issue is that at the end, without God, it is futile. Like in Ecclesiastes, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
To the Saints in Ephesus and to us, Paul says no more! And by the power of the Holy Spirit, he says and “I insist on it”. We do not have the luxury to think and live like the rest of the World does. There is a 7UP soda commercial jingle that says. “The difference is clear”. The difference must be clear between a believer and unbeliever, a saint and the “aint”, a holy and unholy, God’s sons and daughters and those who are not, “the old man” and “the new man”. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Before we get too arrogant and think it is "us" against “them”, let’s be reminded where we came from and how we got to the favor of God. “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” Ephesians 2:1-5.
We are not to live like the rest of the world who do not know Christ. However, because of the mercy of God on us and because we used to live like them, we must therefore stand in the gap for them. “20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” 2 Corinthians 5:20-21.
Abraham pleaded with God to save Sodom. We must continue to do the same today. We must pray and speak with “those who are perishing”. Jonathan, my son pointed me to this Scripture this week. “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. 12 If you say, “Surely we did not know this.” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?” Proverbs 24: 11-12.
It is only God’s grace that changed us and restored us to Himself.
It is only God’s grace that will help us live and think not like the “rest of the World” does as we yield to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. God gives grace to the humble who say I need God. Please pray for Barbara, a retired Science professor. Her worldview is clouded with pain and the view that God is allowing pain and suffering in the world. Pray that God will heal her mind and help her see that humanity sinned and God is not to be blamed. Please pray and speak with many around you who have warped “futile” thinking that excludes God in their lives. Let’s have conversations with people and poke into their worldviews. In humility, ask people to explain their views to you and in turn explain your Biblical/Godly world views to them. You will be surprised what God can do as the Holy Spirit brings conviction to them. May God help us. Amen.
Olsen et al.,in their book Viewing the World Ecologically,referred to “Worldviews as ‘mental lenses’ or cognitive and perceptual maps that we continually use to find our way through the social landscape surrounding us….The dominant worldview in the culture of a society normally pertains to the totality of human existence and most aspects of social life. Virtually everything that we experience is shaped by the perceptions provided by our view of the world. Since the dominant worldview is generally held by most members of that society, it normally establishes the culturally accepted definitions of social reality…For example, a recent survey of college students in the United States found that over one-third of them believe that ghosts exist, and two-fifths of them believe that it is possible to communicate with the dead (Eve 1988).”
Apostle Paul has by the power of the Holy Spirit documented the World’s prevailing worldview in Ephesians 4:17-24. Please read with me:
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of[d] 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.
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
What is your worldview? The World’s (the rest of the Gentiles) worldview results to futility of their minds because at the end it alienates them from God. It is fueled by a darkened understanding of who God is. The World operates under total ignorance and lack of the knowledge of God. As a result, their hearts are blinded by their desires and the devil. There is no restraint whatsoever because there is no more feeling of pain and consequences.
Lust and lewdness has taken over and now everything and anything goes – nothing is sacred anymore. People are happy to flaunt their sins and gladly tell you “we are just living together” without marriage; “I am a proud LGBT”, “I am having a baby and I don’t need a man in my life” and etc. Along with all of this is the sin of greediness because they cannot have enough of the lust and the greed for money that goes with it. It is, “whatever I can get at any cost to someone I want it”. This is the World around us today. This is where we used to live.
The headlines have not changed since Adam and Eve failed. To the Romans 2000 years ago, Paul writes, “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened…26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,[c] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,[d] unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” Romans 1:21-28. It is the same today
The World’s thinking does not first ask, “What does God say or think on this issue?” It does not mean that there are no good intellectual thinkers and views that have advanced science, technology and the arts and have benefited humanity. What does it matter, if you designed the latest Apple iPhone 6 and don't know God and headed to hell? The main issue is that at the end, without God, it is futile. Like in Ecclesiastes, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
To the Saints in Ephesus and to us, Paul says no more! And by the power of the Holy Spirit, he says and “I insist on it”. We do not have the luxury to think and live like the rest of the World does. There is a 7UP soda commercial jingle that says. “The difference is clear”. The difference must be clear between a believer and unbeliever, a saint and the “aint”, a holy and unholy, God’s sons and daughters and those who are not, “the old man” and “the new man”. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Before we get too arrogant and think it is "us" against “them”, let’s be reminded where we came from and how we got to the favor of God. “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” Ephesians 2:1-5.
We are not to live like the rest of the world who do not know Christ. However, because of the mercy of God on us and because we used to live like them, we must therefore stand in the gap for them. “20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” 2 Corinthians 5:20-21.
Abraham pleaded with God to save Sodom. We must continue to do the same today. We must pray and speak with “those who are perishing”. Jonathan, my son pointed me to this Scripture this week. “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. 12 If you say, “Surely we did not know this.” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?” Proverbs 24: 11-12.
It is only God’s grace that changed us and restored us to Himself.
It is only God’s grace that will help us live and think not like the “rest of the World” does as we yield to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. God gives grace to the humble who say I need God. Please pray for Barbara, a retired Science professor. Her worldview is clouded with pain and the view that God is allowing pain and suffering in the world. Pray that God will heal her mind and help her see that humanity sinned and God is not to be blamed. Please pray and speak with many around you who have warped “futile” thinking that excludes God in their lives. Let’s have conversations with people and poke into their worldviews. In humility, ask people to explain their views to you and in turn explain your Biblical/Godly world views to them. You will be surprised what God can do as the Holy Spirit brings conviction to them. May God help us. Amen.
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