May 28th | Do Not Live as Gentiles Do - They Are Separated From the Life of God Because of Their Ignorance

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS 

DO NOT LIVE AS GENTILES DO – THEY ARE SEPARATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD BECAUSE OF THEIR IGNORANCE   

Ephesians 4:18 “. . . (The Gentiles are) separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.”   

The Gentiles of Ephesus were locked-in to their pagan worship. In his commentary on Ephesians, Thomas Winger states, “The theological underpinnings of the unholy marriage of idolatry and prostitution is the quest for union with the (god or gods they worship.) In a devilish parody of the true mystical union, rooted in the incarnation of Christ and enacted by the Communion of His very body and blood, temple prostitution offered bodily union with the godhead through the flesh of the idol’s priestesses and ‘virgins.’”   

Idol worship of any kind is a sin against the First Commandment. Resorting to bowing down before an idol or embracing any of the forms of worship associated with an idol is not a mere weakness but is an act of rebellion against God. Having one foot in the worship of God through Jesus and the other in the worship of false gods and embracing false beliefs is not acceptable to God. Note Jesus’ words regarding this type of life: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (Revelation 3:15-18)  

Jesus calls you to repentance, to turn away from the ways of the Gentiles. “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” (Revelation 3:19-20) 

Jesus calls you to victory. “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on His throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:21-22) 

Prayer: Send Your Holy Spirit into my heart, dear Jesus, to call me by the Gospel to the victory You have won for me through Your perfect life and shed blood. Amen. 

O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky;  
We praise you for the radiance That from the hallowed page,  
A lantern to our footsteps, Shines on from age to age. 

The Church from You, dear Master, Received the gift divine;  
And still that light is lifted O’er all the earth to shine.  
It is the chart and compass That, all life’s voyage through,  
Mid mists and rocks and quick sands Still guides, O Christ to You. 

O make Your Church, dear Savior, A lamp of burnished gold  
To bear before the nations Your true light as of old!  
O teach Your wand’ring pilgrims By this their path to trace  
Till, clouds and darkness ended, They see You face to face!  (LSB 523)