The Old You

Introduction:

Brothers and sisters, when we look honestly at our lives, we often see a struggle inside us. We know what is right, yet we still feel the pull of old habits, old desires, and old ways of thinking. The world around us constantly shapes how we think, what we value, and what we chase. Without realizing it, we can begin to walk in the same patterns we once had before we knew Christ—patterns of confusion, emptiness, and spiritual darkness.

The passage we have studied is not merely describing “them,” the unbelieving world. It is also a mirror that shows what we are capable of apart from God’s grace. It exposes the futility of a mind separated from the life of God and reminds us how easily the heart can grow dull and insensitive to truth. Left to ourselves, we do not drift toward holiness—we drift away from it.

But Scripture never exposes our condition without also pointing us to hope. God does not reveal darkness just to condemn us; He reveals it so that we will long for light. The question then becomes: Is there a way out? Is there real change? Is there true freedom from the old life that clings so tightly to us?

And this is where the beauty of the gospel shines.

Verse 17 onwards is a long and heavy exhortation on how we ought to live our Christian life. It begins kung sino tayo noon at kung ano yung state ng mga taong wala sa Diyos. Then after that, sa verse 20 it tells us kung sino na tayo ngayon na tayo na ay nakay Christ, na dapat na natin hubarin permanently yung old life/self/man natin and isuot yung new life na ibinigay satin ni Christ. And in verse 25 onwards, it calls us to become what God has called us in Christ as we commit ourselves to one another.

Bible Passage:

Ephesians 4:17–24 “Therefore this I say, and testify in the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their mind, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart. And they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way— if indeed you heard Him and were taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, to lay aside, in reference to your former conduct, the old man, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and to put on the new man, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

Prayer:

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Main Point:

The gospel calls every believer to abandon our former walk— a life marked by intellectual blindness, relational separation, moral insensitivity, and behavioral corruption.

Paul begin in verse 17 with the word therefore, I hope naalala n’yo yung significant nung word na “therefore”, that conjunction serves as a bridge, in order for us to do yung exhortation satin ni Paul sa verse 17 onwards, we need to look backwards to understand yung mga kadahilanan at kung bakit yung verse 17 onwards yung tamang tugon.

Sa chapter 1-3 and yung 1st half ng chapter 4 ng Ephesians, Paul was saying, “Here is what Christ has done for us, because we are called to salvation, unified in the Body of Christ, gifted by the Holy Spirit, and built up by the gifted men (vv. 1–16), verse 17 hanggang sa chapter 6 ng Ephesians tells us kung paano yung tamang pag tugon sa ginawa satin ng Diyos.

He insists on a connection between doctrine and life. This is what you believe, therefore this is how you should behave.

Sabi ni Paul, ng dahil sa ginawa ng Diyos sa Chapter 1-4vv.1-16, this I say, and testify/insist/implore/pinatotohanan, Paul using a literary device intended to add emphasis to the following statement, he calls us to listen to him, and ano yun? that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk. Why? We cannot maintain the unity that God has provided for us and grow in maturity if we will walk in contradiction sa pagkakatawag satin ng Diyos.

For Paul, this is not a suggestion, o opinion, o good advise, this is a strong exhortation, This word “testify” is a strong word in the Greek. It is from the word marturomai {mar-tooʹ-rom-ahee} which means “to call to witness; to protest; to insist; to solemnly declare something.” at pinabigat pa n’ya by saying this I say, and testify/insist in the Lord. By attaching the phrase “in the Lord” to his appeal, Paul admonishes his readers on the basis of the authority of the Lord Jesus himself. To disobey the words of the Apostle Paul is to disobey the Lord Jesus Christ himself. So kung hindi ka makikinig sa sasabihin ni Paul, your not listening to the Lord himself.

Kaya pakisabihan po yung mga katabi nyo na “makinig ka”. Many of you pupunta sa church antok na antok, bakit inaantok? Kasi Saturday ng gabi puyat na puyat kanonood ng Netflix, kaka scroll sa social media, kakalaro ng ML, tapos pag Lord’s Day na inaantok ka na at hindi ka na makapag focus. Kaya pag nag re reflection walang ma reflect kasi hindi nakapag focus, hindi nakinig.

Paul is speaking in the authority of Christ that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, sabi sa verse 1 ng chapter 4, we are to walk in a manner worthy of Christ, and part of that is hindi na tayo mamuhay kung paano tayo namumuhay noon.

Sa mga naunang chapters, binigyan na tayo ni Paul ng background patungkol sa mga gentiles (meaning hindi sila jewish), sa Ephesians 2:1-3, ang mga gentiles kasama ng mga hudio ay dead in sin, slave in sin and condemn in sin. And sa verses 11-12, mas binigyan diin pa ni Paul yung kalagayan ng mga Gentiles, Ephesians 2:12 they are without Christ, alienated, strangers, no hope and without God in the world.” This describe yung dati nilang pamumuhay, not just them also ganito din tayo noon before tayo maging Christian.

Also, sa first letter ni Paul sa Thessalonians he uses the term in its pagan meaning when he refers to “the Gentiles who do not know God” (1 Thess. 4:5), and that is the sense in which he uses it in our present text. Gentiles here represent all ungodly, unregenerate, pagan persons.

Like the church in our own day, the churches at Ephesus were surrounded ng iba’t ibang uri ng kasalanan. Some historians rank it na pinaka malaswa at mahalay na city of Asia Minor. The morals were lower than animals and the inhabitants of Ephesus were fit only to be drowned.” Though the temple of Artemis is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, but inside is punong puno ng kalaswaan, kahalayan, kasamaan, imoralidad at iba’t ibang uri ng kasalanan.

Sabi ni John MacArthur sa commentary n’ya: The temple of Artemis was the center of much of the wickedness. Like those in most pagan religions, its rituals and practices were but extensions of man’s vilest and most perverted sins. Male and female roles were interchanged, and orgiastic sex, homosexuality, and every other sexual perversion were common. Artemis was herself a sex goddess, represented by an ugly, repulsive black female idol that looked something like a cross between a cow and a wolf. She was served by thousands of temple prostitutes, eunuchs, singers, dancers, and priests and priestesses. Idols of Artemis and other deities were to be seen everywhere, in every size and made out of many different materials. Of special popularity were silver idols and religious artifacts. It was because Paul’s preaching cut deeply into that trade that the Ephesian silversmiths rallied the populace against him and his fellow believers (Acts 19:24–28).

Yung mga tao sa Ephesus ganito yung pag iisip nila dito sa goddess na ‘to, they are devoted and passionate and they really declared “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! And takot na takot sila dito to the point yung pwede kang mag lagay ng mahalagang gamit at collection sa temple nya at walang mag nanakaw dahil takot sila kay Artemis. And yung mga kriminal dito pumupunta dahil pag malapit sila sa Templo ni Artemis, hindi sila pwedeng arestohin.

I’m just reflecting on the recent news lately, with Epstein files exposing the immoralities and evilness of people, torturing babies, offering them to the devils, the practice of sexual immorality and the human trafficking ages 14-17, the killing and roasting a man alive in the shape of a turkey while all the people who are involve are much protected and secure much like Criminals in Paul’s day in Ephesus, and just like their time people are much more afraid sa mga diyos-diyosan kesa sa Totoo at nag Iisang Buhay na Diyos. Yung pag taas ng kasamaan at kasalanan ng tao ay patuloy na tumataas. From bad to worst.

Paul is saying sa mga Christian in Ephesus, that to walk worthy before the Lord is to no longer walk kung paano namumuhay yung mga tao sa mundo. Yung salitang walk dito is not merely a synonym for “live”, or simply seeking a modification of their behavior. The Greek wording actually indicates that the believers must “walk” differently, indicating that Christians must be on a different path than the rest of the world if we are to be faithful to God. It means being intentional about every life choice. It’s about living with purpose in everything we do. And apart from the grace of God, we will fall back kung paano tayo namumuhay noon.

Now we will see how sin infected and touch every area of our lives before we come to saving faith in Christ. Titignan po natin how sin corrupted our minds, hearts and lives. Paul will describe to us kung paano tayo nag-iisip noon, kung anong klaseng puso yung meron tayo noon at kung gaano tayo kasama noon. That’s why I entitle this message “The Old You”, yung dating ikaw before ka maging Kristiano. At tinatawag tayo ng Diyos na wag na natin balikan yun dating tayo, wag na tayong mamuhay kung paano tayo namumuhay noon. Na wag na tayong mamuhay kung paano namumuhay yung mga makamundo.

And also, this will not just speak to us kung sino tayo noon, pero eto din po yung katotohanan kung ano ang estado ng mga taong wala pa kay Kristo ngayon. Mayaman ka man o mahirap, Matanda ‘man o bata, kung wala ka kay Kristo (if you are not in Christ) verses 17-19 tells you kung ano yung kinalalagyan mo ngayon before the Lord. That’s why you need to listen, hindi ka pwedeng patulog tulog, and wag ka lang mag take ng notes para libangin yung sarili mo, makinig ka, makinig ka sa sinabi ni Paul under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.

May Apat mahalagang katotohanan na makikita natin sa verses 17-19 patungkol kung paano tayo namumuhay noon at kung paano namumuhay ang mga taong wala kay Kristo ngayon.

Intellectual Blindness

Relational Separation

Moral Insensitivity

Behavioral Corruption

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Intellectual blindness - vv. 17b-18a in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their mind,

in the futility of their mind - This is how we used to think, this is how yung mga taong wala kay Kristo mag -isip. Other Bible translation render this as (in the vanity of their mind KJV, in the futility of their thinking NIV, thoughts CSB, and in the foolishness and emptiness of their souls AMP, Their thoughts don’t have any purpose, hopelessly confused NLT, their thoughts are worth nothing NCV, sa kawalang-saysay ng kanilang pag-iisip ABTAG01)

The term mataiotēs (“futility”) only occurs three times in the NT. In Romans 8:20 and 2 Pet 2:18 it refers to being unable to achieve one’s goals. If you wanted to describe something that never succeeds, that fails to reach a goal or desired result, o yung ginawa mo na lahat pero hindi parin sapat, then you would use this word mataiotes. In Ephesians 4:17, however, it refers to sa “way of thinking kung saan ang isip ng tao hindi na kayang tanggapin o maintindihan ang mensahe ng Diyos. Dahil dito, nahihirapan siyang gumawa ng tama at maayos na desisyon sa buhay.” As Paul worded it sa sulat nya sa 2 Timothy 3:7 “always learning and never able to come to the full knowledge of the truth.”

To the Greeks the mind was all-important, if they read this letter, it will be offensive for them. Mas masakit pa sa kanila ‘to kesa yung sabihin mong makasalanan sila. They prided themselves in their great literature, art, philosophy, politics, and science. Greeks believed that almost any problem could be reasoned to a solution. Ganon din yung mga tao ngayong mag isip, they have brilliant minds, nakakagawa sila ng gamot, nakakapag patayo sila ng mga establishment, magagandang kalsada, high tech na gamit, at mas marami ng na re reach ang education sa tulong ng technology na tila ba yung kaalaman at pag iisip ng tao ay nag improve. Yet Paul says na pag patungkol na sa Diyos ang usapan, ang kanilang pag iisip ay walang saysay, walang katuturan, futile, vain, empty, useless, may similarity sa sinasabi nating mga pinoy pag sinasabi nating “walang laman yung utak” patungkol sa Diyos. Yan ang estado ng mga tao pag ang Diyos na ang pinag uusapan. The Psalmist said in Psalm 94:11 “Yahweh knows the thoughts of man, That they are vanity.”

And the people who have futile minds will pursue a life of emptiness. Their lives are empty, meaningless, and without purpose, why? because they are full of themselves. That is an empty way to live. That’s true kung paano tayo namuhay noon at sa mga taong walang Diyos sa buhay nila ngayon. All they love, all they think is same sa sinabi satin sa 1 John 2:15–17 ” They love the world, the things of this world, all the things that is temporary and passing away, all its lust, they hate the Father, they hate the will of God.

DO YOU STILL LOVE THE WORLD? THINK LIKE THE WORLD? CHASE AFTER THE THINGS OF THE WORLD, IT’S LUST, IT’S PLEASURE, IT’S COMFORT, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW TEMPORARY AND PASSING AWAY? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT CONSUME YOUR MIND? YOUR THOUGHTS? YOUR THINKING? HOW DO YOU REASON?

So here’s the question for us: When you add something to your cart online, are you chasing joy in what will eventually fade or decay? Or are you investing in something that honors God? If God asked you to give away half of what you bought this month to help our brethren in need, would you hesitate or complain?

What do you binge-watch when no one’s watching? Does it point your heart toward God, or does it feed lust, envy, or pride? How many hours a week do your thoughts dwell on things that are temporary and passing, versus things eternal? How long do you enjoy meditating on the Scripture in comparison sa pag intake mo ng social media and other entertainment?

How much of your mind is consumed with “what can I get” versus “how can I bless and serve others”?

When your mind wanders, what occupies it the most—things that are eternal or fleeting pleasures? What consume your time and occupy your mind will tell what you truly love and believe. Do you ask the Lord to reveals what’s truly in your heart? to reveal your pride? your selfishness? your love for the world? your greed? your lust? to reveal the the idols, the things that you truly desire?

Church, the word of God is telling us to think no longer kung paano nag iisip ang mga makamundong tao. That’s why in Ephesians 4:22–23 “to lay aside, in reference to your former conduct, the old man, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind,” Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Colossians 3:1–2 “Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” This what set us apart from the world, since we have been raised up with Christ, the things that we seek, the things that occupy our mind are the things that are above, the things that are godly, the things that will advance the cause of Christ. Because to think in earthly and temporary and to pursue those things na walang eternal value is walang saysay, walang kwenta. And Paul is saying na hindi na tayo dapat ganon mag isip.

The sinfulness of man have touch and corrupted every area in our mind, our ability to reason, to think, to decide. And because of the futility of our mind, by default our mind will not choose God or the things of God, that’s why God alone has the power to make us choose Him, He alone yung may kakayanang mag tuwid ng pag-iisip natin, ng reasoning natin, ng pinaniniwalaan. God alone can give us the power to think of Him deeply so we can desire Him truly.

Christianity is cognitive before it is experiential. The Holy Spirit helps us to renew our thinking that makes us consider the gospel and causes us to believe the historic facts and spiritual truths of the gospel and to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. That is why the first step in repentance is a change of mind (pagiisip natin) about oneself, about one’s spiritual condition, and about God. We must know Him first in our mind in order to embrace Him in our hearts. The heart cannot embrace what the mind does not believe. Our only hope is God alone who sovereignly and powerfully can transform and renews our mind.

And He is doing that as we read His Word, as we memorize His Word, as we meditate on His Word, as we apply His Word as we practice His Word as we teach it His Word to others. And the question for us is how often do we do that? When was the last time that you memorize the Word of God? When was the last time apply and practice the Word of God?

Because unbelievers and Christians think differently they are therefore to act differently. The sinful and selfish and futile philosophy of living in your past before you were saved should not be in your present.

We must forsake the futile thinking that we only live for ourselves. That everything revolves around you. When you become a Christian, Christ empower us to renew our minds, before all you think is your self, but now you are a Christian, you learn to consider others, you learn how to think of them, you learn to think about the church, that in every decision, you think about Christ and His body, will this bring glory to God, will my brothers and sisters in Christ benefit from it? Because if you are truly in Christ, your mindset change, your worldview change, and it change and transform for better. From the futility of our mind, we are now called to have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 2:3–5 “doing nothing from selfish ambition or vain glory, but with humility of mind regarding one another as more important than yourselves, not merely looking out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this way of thinking in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,” If you are not regarding or considering others interest and sarili mo parin ang iniisip mo, consumerist ka parin, pupunta ka dito sa church tapos pag reflection na bigla kang aalis maybe you have to reconsider if you are truly having the mind of Christ, maybe you still need to learn Christ because instead walking in the humility of your mind, you are still walking in the futility of your mind. And Paul give us the reason why we used to walked in that way and why the world walks that way. Sabi n’ya, because their mind is being darkened.

being darkened in their mind -

“How you think determines how you behave. What you believe inevitably shapes how you live.” One of the slogans of our time is, “You are what you eat.” The much deeper truth is that you are what you think. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, their first thought was to hide from God (Gen. 3:8). Sin darkened their minds and caused them to think and believe that the good and gracious God was someone to hide from. Their thinking became futile. Paul defines the essential character of this futility in verse 18: “being darkened in their mind” Pinundi ng kasalanan yung ating pang unawa sa mga bagay patungkol sa Diyos.

The unbelieving person has a darkened mind (pundi na yung pagiisip), other bible translation translate this as (they can’t understand the truth NIRV, their minds are full of darkness NLT, for their moral understanding is darkened and their reasoning is clouded AMP, dahil nadiliman ang isipan nila sa pag-unawa ng mga espiritual na bagay ASD, nasa kadiliman ang kanilang pagiisip ABTAG).

Paul is applying the common metaphorical distinction between light and dark to the life of the mind. Just as light symbolizes illumination (kaunawaan) and clarity (kalinawan), so darkness symbolizes the opposite, hindi mo maunawaan. hindi ka malinawan. A darkened understanding means that the unbelieving person is not able to perceive reality clearly or accurately. Kaya walang laman yung utak, o walang kabuluhan yung iniisip, yung pinaniniwalaan, walang saysay dahil ang kanilang pag-iisip at pang unawa ay nasa kadiliman.

It is not simply that their eyes are blinded so they cannot see, but that their minds are darkened so that they cannot think straight about spiritual matters. The Greek word behind being darkened is a perfect participle, indicating a continuing condition of spiritual darkness. Patuloy yung isipan nilang nasa kadiliman at patuloy silang binubulag ni satanas para hindi nila maintindihan yung Gospel.

Sabi ni Paul, 2 Corinthians 4:3–4 “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age 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.” Eto po yung kadahilanan kung bakit kahit nag sha share tayo ng Gospel sa mga kapamilya at kaibigan natin, hindi nila maunawaan, hindi nag ma make sense sa kanila, because satan has blinded their minds para hindi nila makita yung liwanag ng Gospel. Not just satan blinded them, but they themselves love darkness, mahal nila yung kasalanan rather than Christ.

Sabi ni Jesus sa John 3:19–20 ““And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light lest his deeds be exposed.” This is our life before, this is how the people of the world operate. They love darkness, they love their sins, they hate Christ, they don’t want to come to Christ, they are not willing to confess their sins, they are not willing to be exposed. They want to remain in darkness so they can continue in their sin. This is a remarkable characteristic of an unbeliever. And we are not to be like that. We are to haters of darkness, haters of sins, lovers of Christ, regularly confessing our sins to Him, and to be discipline by God. God will expose whatever is in the dark, what’s hidden here below is exposed there above.

CHURCH, DO YOU LOVE THE LIGHT? DO YOU LOVE CHRIST? DO YOU HATE THE DARKNESS? DO YOU KNOW CONFESS YOUR SIN? DO YOUR HATE YOUR SIN? DO YOUR REPENT OF YOUR SIN? DO YOU FORSAKE YOUR SIN? DO YOU KILL YOUR SIN? YOU CANNOT LOVE GOD AND LOVE YOUR SIN AT THE SAME TIME (HINDI PWEDENG TWO TIMER KA GAYA NG MUNDO, HINDI MO PWEDENG PAGSABAYIN SI KRISTO AT ANG MUNDO). TO LOVE CHRIST IS TO HATE YOUR SIN. TO START SERVING CHRIST YOU MUST STOP SERVING SIN.

This is what set us apart from the world, we hate now the darkness and have no partnership to those who love it. 2 Corinthians 6:14–16 WE DO NOT HAVE PARTNERSHIP WITH SA MGA HINDI SUMUSUNOD SA DIYOS. WE DON’T HAVE FELLOWSHIP SA MGA NAMUMUHAY SA KADILIMAN, WE DO NOT HARMONIZE WITH THOSE WHO SERVE OTHER GODS, WALA TAYONG COMMONALITY SA MGA UNBELIEVERS, WALA KASUNDUAN ANG IGLESIA NG DIYOS SA MGA SUMASAMBA SA DIYOS-DIYOSAN.

IF YOU STILL LOVE YOUR WORLDLY FRIENDS MORETHAN CHRIST AND HIS BODY, PUNDIDO PARIN YUNG PANG UNAWA MO, HINDI MO PARIN LUBUSANG NAUUNAWAAN YUNG GINAWA NI KRISTO. IF YOU SAY YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN YET MAHAL MO PARIN YUNG KASALANAN MO, NAGSISINUNGALING KA AT YUNG KATOTOHANAN AY WALA SA’YO.

How did we overcome this darkness? How can you overcome this darkness? It is by being exposed to the light of the Gospel, it is by being exposed sa kabanalan ng Diyos, sa katuwian ng Diyos, that we get to see kung sino tayo, na tayo ay makasalanan at nag kasala tayo sa Diyos. That we have rebelled and fallen short of His glory, na hindi natin nagawa yung pinapagawa N’ya at ginawa natin yung ipinag-babawal N’ya and for so long we have been living in sin, we have been living in the darkness, our minds had been blinded by sin. And only when we have come to understand yung katayuan natin spiritually na hindi natin kayang iligtas ang ating mga sarili, that’s the time that we cry out to Him, like a blind man asking and crying out, have mercy on us Son of David, cause our eyes to see.

And that’s the right thing to do, because Christ is the only hope of the world because He alone is the light of the world. John 8:12 “Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” HCM, si Kristo ang nagbigay ng liwanag sa pundido nating pang unawa at kaisipan. Si Kristo lang ang may kapangyarihan na patuloy tayong mag liwanag dito sa madilim and masalimuot na mundo.

Now, How can we assure ourselves that we are already in light instead of darkness? If we are in God then we will walk in the light (sinusunod na natin si Diyos), sabi sa 1 John 1:6–7 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not do the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” ” If we are in the light we have an assurance that Christ cleanses us from all our sin. Sabi pa 1 John 2:8 “On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.” , and the practical application of that we are walking in the light is we have love sa body ni Christ. Sabi sa kasunod na verses 1 John 2:9–10 “The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.” You have to ask yourself, talaga bang mahal mo ang Diyos? Kung mahal mo ang Diyos mamahalin mo yung mga kapatiran. If you love the Lord you will not hate and be apathetic sa mga kapatiran. If you love the Lord hindi mo hahayaan na matisod yung mga kapatid mo ng dahil sayo. If you are not living in light and still living in darkness, that’s the proof that you don’t have the life of God. That’s why in our second point...

Relational Separation - Separated Lives - v.18a alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them

alienated from the life of God

Another Mark of unregenerated person is hindi lang walang laman yung utak, pundido yung pang unawa, another mark is you are alienated from the life of God. The word “alienated” is derived from the Greek word apallot-rioo {ap-al-lot-ree-oʹ-o} which means “to be shut out from one’s fellowship and intimacy; to be excluded, separated, cut off, detached, or estranged.” This word carries the idea of being a foreigner or an outsider. other bible tagalog translation uses (nahiwalay ABTAG01, nawalay ASD, wala silang bahagi MBB05).

Nang dahil sa kasalanan, all of us has been shut out sa mga privileges to have fellowship and intimacy sa Diyos. As the Prophet Isaiah declared 59:2 “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.” This is what sin does, it alienates us from God.

Human beings were never intended to live merely as individuals; God created us in his image, he created us to have relationship with Him, to know and love him and share his joy. The good life is found not in inventing our purpose but in bowing to God’s design and reflecting his glory. We are restless until we submit and surrender to His design, we are restless until we rest in God.

The opposite of life is death. Men without God are spiritually dead. We were cut off from the very life of God. Our ignorance of God and His ways led us to enmity with God (2:12–13), resulting in the need for reconciliation.

And the way through reconciliation is not through our good works and best efforts to live a holy and godly life. Even if you read the bible, even if you are complete in your church attendance and bible study, without putting your confident trust in the finish work on Christ upon the Cross, you will never be reconciled to God and you will remain shut off and cut off from the life of God. It is only through Christ that we can have fellowship and intimacy with the Triune God.

HAVE YOU BEEN RECONCILLED TO GOD? HAVE YOU PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE FINISH WORK OF CHRIST ALONE? OR DO YOU STILL TRUST YOU GOOD WORKS TO EARN YOUR WAY TO HIM?

Beloved, Christ is the only way that we can be made right with God. If you are not in Christ, I urge you to run to Him so you can be reconcile with God. The reason we did not come to Christ noon to have the life of God sa kadahilanang patuloy nating pinipili yung kamangmangan natin.

because of the ignorance that is in them - other Bible translation uses (willful ignorance AMP)

Again, hindi lang walang laman ang pag-iisip, pundito yung pang unawa, walang bahagi sa buhay ng Diyos, Paul added na mga ignorante tayo noon at eto yung estado ng mga taong wala sa Diyos.. The term agōnia is used of an ignorance of which people are unaware, they did not know, they did not find out (Lev. 5:18; 22:14; Eccl. 3:11; Acts 3:17; 17:30), yet they are still responsible for the choices made. Paul seems to be discussing a willful process nung kamangmangan ng mga gentiles, not merely an ignorance of God caused by never hearing or knowing or being educated or having an opportunity but this ignorance is a willful ignoring of God, they decided to not to know God, they choose not to find him, they choose to be unaware of Him as they suppress Him , as Romans 1:21 “For even though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

And those who continue to ignore God will never not have the life of God, they will remain separated, darkened and futile in their minds.

Even if you are the riches man on earth with $800 Billion, or even if you are the poorest of them all, even if you are the oldest man or the youngest person in this world, without Christ the bible calls you ignorant, na nabubuhay ka sa kamangmangan.

Moral insensitivity - Hardened Hearts - vv. 18b-19a because of the hardness of their heart. And they, having become callous

because of the hardness of their heart

Paul does not speak of merely a “hard” heart (matigas na puso), but a “hardened” heart. (tumigas na yung puso)

The Greek word for “hardening” is porosis, which comes from the word poros, which originally meant “a stone harder than marble.” In our own terms we might call this “a heart of stone.” It implies a certain stubbornness (ayaw ng makinig) and reflects the consequences of opportunities being resisted.

Kaya ang mga tao ay nanatiling mangmang, walang bahagi sa buhay ng Diyos, pundito ang pag iisip at walang laman ang utak sa kadahilanang tumigas na yung puso nila. Ayaw na nilang makinig sa Diyos, sa conviction N’ya, sa mga taong pinapadala N’ya. Ganito din tumigas ang mga puso natin noon.

This is where we see the heart of the problem of all humanity, the heart of the problem is the problem of the human heart, it is hardened, tumigas na yung puso ng mga tao ng dahil sa kasalanan.

And the more people reject God, resist His conviction, deny Him, suppress Him, hide from Him, run away from Him the, the more na yung puso nila nag kakalyo.

And they, having become callous

Some bible translate this excellently (lost all sensitivity NIV, they have lost all their feeling for what is right, unfeeling AMP, lost all feeling of shame NCV, do not feel ashamed EASY, no sense of shame NLT, nawalan na sila ng kahihiyan ASD, wala na silang kahihiyan MBB05, naging manhid AMTAG01).

Hardened hearts lead to a deadening of the senses, that is, to a loss of “all sensitivity”. literally means they were beyond feeling — like callused skin. Bishop Moule renders this, “having got beyond the pain.” Nothing hurt.

How does sin harden a person? At first, shameful, sinful behavior may leave a person feeling sick, guilty, convicted, and full of remorse. If the sinner, however, does not turn from his way, but persists in his wickedness, he or she tends to excuse or justify his behavior, which in turn hardens his heart.

That’s why habitual sin is so dangerous, kasi noon na co convict ka pa, pero despite that paulit ulit mo parin ginagawa, dumating na sa point na hindi ka na- na co convict, hindi ka na nako-konsensya, hindi ka na nahihiya, hindi ka na nasasaktan, hindi na nakakaramdam. Magsasabi ka hindi mo na gagawin pero pag wala ng nakatingin sigi ka parin ng sigi sa pagkakasala.

Ang paulit ulit na pag gawa ng kasalanan ay may kapangyarihan patigasin yung puso mo hanggang sa point na wala ka nang maramdaman at jinu justify mo na yung kasalanan mo. When you continually choose sin, yung puso mo becomes hardened and paralyzed to spiritual truth, utterly insensitive to the things of God.

You know what’s scary about this? Because you might be thinking na saved ka kasi nasa church ka but the reality is that manhid na yung puso mo, wala ka ng maramdaman, hindi ka na co convict, hindi mo nakikita yung sarili mo na makasalanan.

There was a story, After the preacher Dr. Donald Barnhouse shared a message about the effect of sin, a young man approached him and said, “I sin, but it doesn’t seem to matter at all. I’m not haunted by it. I don’t get depressed about it. It doesn’t bother me a bit.”

Dr. Barnhouse looked at him and said, “Tell me, son, what would happen if I dropped an eight-hundred-pound weight on the body of a dead man? Would he feel it? Would he be in pain? Would it bother him?"

The young man replied, “Of course not!” “That’s the point,” said Dr. Barnhouse. “If you don’t feel the weight of sin, if it’s not heavy upon you, if it’s not having an impact on you, it’s because you’re spiritually dead.”

Beloved, some folks can become so hardened that they go as far as to boast or publicly declare their wickedness without any embarrassment or shame at all. They are proud of what they have done. We are now reading of women who are bragging they had an abortion or sexual video online. They glory in their shame. Yung nakakahiya noon ni no-normalize na ngayon. Yung nakakadiri noon pinag pye-pyestahan na ngayon. What’s good become evil and what’s evil become good. Why? Dahil callous na yung puso ng tao. Wala ng nararamdaman, hindi na na co convict, pusong bato na, mangmang sa Diyos, wala silang bahagi sa buhay ng Diyos, pundido ang kaunawaan at walang laman ang mga kukote. Ganito mag operate ang mundo ngayon, at wala tayong maipag yayabang na mas better tayo kasi ganito din tayo noon. It’s only by the grace of God na tinangal N’ya yung pusong bato natin at binigyan N’ya tayo ng bagong puso. Is your heart soft enough to weep over your sin, when was the last time that you are broken because of your sin? When was the last time that you beg God na patayin N’ya yung kayabangan mo? yung lust mo? yung selfishness mo? yung pagiging unloving mo? yung kamunduhan mo? or has your pride turned your heart into a stone that you no longer feels the weight of your sinfulness before the Lord?

Sa mga nakikinig ngayon, Does God have given you a new heart?

Beloved, the insensitive heart of our past should not be in our present. If you are not careful and cautious, sinful habits can creep into your life and you can become hard-hearted.

Clearly enough Paul believes that bad theology or thinking leads to bad practices, that theologies or schools of thought always have ethical consequences. Here Paul discusses sensuality, impurity, and everything done to excess.

Behavioral corruption - v.19b have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

have given themselves over -

Dahil patay sila sa kasalanan, walang maramdaman, pusong bato, mangmang, hindi kabahagi sa buhay ng Diyos, pundido ang pang unawa at walang kwenta, walang laman ang pag-iisip nila, therefore they have given themselves sa dine desire ng mga puso nila.

In Romans 1, God gave people over to the desires of their hearts, whereas Paul uses the same word here to say they give themselves over. These differences in agencies should not be regarded as contradictory, however, as they are two sides of the same coin. Gentiles who reject the truth to pursue their misguided desires are simply allowed by God to do so. Dahil matigas ang puso nila, ayaw nilang makinig, God gave them over to what they want. Binigay na sila ng Diyos dun sa mga kasalanan nila. At ano yung mga kasalanan na yun?

to sensuality

aselgeia {as-elgʹ-i-a} which means the person is out of control and without restraint in his or her drunkenness or sexual behavior.

Having rejected all divine guidelines and protection. Such a person cares nothing about what other people think—not to mention about what God thinks—but only about what gratifies yung cravings ng lustful desire N’ya.

The rapid increase in mental illness today can be laid in large measure at the feet of increased sensuality of every sort. Man is made for God and designed according to His standards. When he rejects God and His standards he destroys himself in the process. The corruptions of our present society are not the result of psychological or sociological circumstances but the result of personal choices based on principles that are specifically and purposely against God and His way. Homosexuality, sexual perversion, abortion, lying, cheating, stealing, murder, and every other type of moral degeneration have become unabashed and calloused ways of life through the conscious choices of those who indulge in them.

for the practice of every kind of impurity

practice - (eagerly craving the practice AMP, laging sabik na sabik ASD)

Ergasia (practice) can refer to a business enterprise, and that idea could apply here. The ungodly person often makes business out of every kind of impurity. Here ergasia means “work hard, take pains, do your best.” of every kind of sin, impurity. They work hard just to satisfy their sinful desire, they take pains and whatever it cost para ma gratify nila yung karumihan at kalaswaan nila, every kind of impurity, and they do their best to justify their sin and rationalize it.

Understand this truth, sin may promise you thrills that in the end will make you ill. It will destroy you eventually. It promises happiness but only provide emptiness. Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.

with greediness - (they are full of greed NIV, with a desire for more and more CSB, they do more and more bad things just to please themselves EASY)

The word “greediness” is derived from the word ple-on-exi-a. It describes a person who has an unquestionable (hindi lang uncontrollable) lust and passion for whatever he or she desires. Gusto n’ya makuwa yung mga bagay na hindi sa kanya and he will do everything just to have it to the point na willing s’ya i sacrifice family or friends for

Thomas Costain’s history, The Three Edwards, described the life of Raynald III, a fourteenth-century duke in what is now Belgium. Sobrang taba, Raynald was commonly called by his Latin nickname, Crassus, which means “fat.”

After a violent quarrel, Raynald’s younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him. Edward captured Raynald but did not kill him. Instead, he built a room around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised him he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room.

This would not have been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size, and none was locked or barred. The problem was Raynald’s size. To regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight. But Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent a variety of delicious foods.

Instead of dieting his way out of prison, Raynald grew fatter. When Duke Edward was accused of cruelty, he had a ready answer: “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.” Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn’t released until after Edward died in battle. By then his health was so ruined he died within a year … a prisoner of his own appetite.

Beloved, we are not to be prisoners of our appetites and greed. Paul reminds us here that the greediness of impurity in our past is not to be in our present. Christ has given us power to say “No” to temptations and live a victorious life.

Conclusion:

What is the hope of humanity? What is the cure for the callous and stony heart? What is the way where we will not remain ignorant of God and cut of from His life? What is the power that can enlighten our darkened understanding and renew and humbly our futile thinking?

The only cure is not self help, do better and try harder, it’s not self modification, the way is not to pretend that we have figure things out, the power is not in our strength, in our knowledge, or wisdom. The only cure, way and power that can overcome all of this is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Where is the gospel in a passage like this? I find it in two words, found in verse 17: ‘Therefore this I say, and testify in the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,’ This is what Jesus Christ offers to you: ‘No longer’ to sin. He says, ‘If you abide in my word … you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’ (John 8:32–33). Sin alienates us from the life of God, but through Jesus Christ we receive new life, heavenly life, power from on high for godliness. Jesus says, ‘So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’ (John 8:36).

HCM, you need no longer live as you formerly have; indeed, you must not. Turn to the light of God’s Word and ask him to cast out the darkness that was formerly in your mind. Turn to the Lord Jesus and ask him to change and sanctify your desires. It was precisely with this in mind that he promised, ‘Ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened’ (Luke 11:10). Asking must be combined with seeking—which means acting upon your prayer—and with knocking—which means persevering in faith. But Jesus promises the Holy Spirit with power. He said of the polluted streams of sin and of the world, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life’ (John 4:13–14).

No longer! That is our gospel. And through Jesus Christ it is the reality to which we are called and empowered by God’s grace.