10-13-2019 – The Mind of the Lost

10-13-2019 - The Mind of the Lost

Read Ephesians 4:18-19. Most Americans applaud advances in science, technology, literature and art, while our society unravels and families disintegrate (cf Romans 1:18-32; 1Timothy 4:1-6; 2Timothy 3:1-5.

Those who continually reject God’s revelation become depraved (cf. Titus 1:15-16).
Paul warns us not to live as those who are (2Timothy 3:5), “holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.”
Matthew 7:15-20, “they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves,” indulging (2Peter 2:10, 12), “in the flesh in its corrupt desires,” “like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed.”
They are (Ephesians 4:18) “darkened in their understanding, excluded form the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart.” (Ephesians 4:19), “they, having become callous, they have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.” 2Timothy 3:12-13, “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
Not every unbeliever will reach the extremes that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 4:18-19, but they are unwilling, or unable, to consider, or to appraise all of life by the truth and wisdom of God, as expressed in and through Jesus Christ. Why is this so?
2Corinthians 4:4, “The god of this world 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.”
See Galatians 6:7-10.
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26, “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment with out Him? For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give it to one who is good in God’s sight.”
See 2Peter 1:2-4; Romans 12:2.
God is so gracious to provide everything we need to know Him, to be loved by Him, and to serve Him, while waiting for Him to bring us to heaven.
Colossians 1:13-16, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.”
Colossians 2:8-10, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.” 17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” 23-24, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
1Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”