Alienated From the Life of God
Alienated From the Life of God
Living the New Life - Part II
July 29, 2007
“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. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity” Eph 4:18-19
1. They are darkened in their understanding and they hate the light (believers have found the light of Christ and are given His wisdom)
“For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God.” John 3:20-21
2. They are alienated from God (believers are reconciled to God through Christ)
“and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” Col 1:20-22
“by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.” Eph 2:15-16
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Rom 5:10-11
3. They are alienated because of the ignorance in them (believers have access by the Holy Spirit to understand the things of the Spirit. 1 Cor 2:10-14)
4. They are this way due to the hardness of their heart (believers have a new heart) (Exodus 11:10; Mark 8:17-18; Romans 11:8; Hebrews 3:7-8; Prov 28:14; Dan 5:10)
“Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.” Proverbs 28:14
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from you and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my commands.” Ezekiel 36:26-27
5. They have become callous (believers are sensitive to the things of the Spirit) The unbelievers have no feeling about their degenerate condition and are beyond feeling either shame for their evil or hope for anything better concerning their condition before God.
“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” Heb 3:7-8
6. They have given themselves up to sensuality (believers are developing the “fruits of the Spirit” and are “walking by the Spirit”) - The logical next step for people who have lost all conscience is that they have given themselves over to sensuality
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Gal 5:19-20
7. They are greedy to practice every kind of impurity (believers strive for holiness “without which no one will see the Lord” Heb 12:14) Unbelievers work toward moral decadence as if it were their occupation, and lust for more (it is translated “greediness,” extreme selfishness without regard for others).
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.” Col 3:5-6
“See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” Heb 12:15-17
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments” John 14:15
“Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him” Heb 5:8-9
GracePointe Baptist Church
2209 N Post Road
Oklahoma City, OK 73141
Phone: (405) 769-5050