Human Viewpoint Thinking tells us that happiness is found in fulfilling our every human desire.  This, of course, is not in harmony with God’s Word.  This kind of thinking (or lack of thinking) leads to “scar tissue on the soul” (hardness of the heart).  Scar tissue on the soul leads to a frantic search for happiness in all of the details of life. (John 12:40)

“Scar tissue on the soul” shuts down Divine Viewpoint Thinking and removes the capacity for happiness.  On the inside, mental attitude sins produce self-induced misery and on the outside, the details of life become your master.  This is maladjustment to the grace of God. Reversionism, the condition of a believer who is negative toward Bible doctrine or has stopped growing spiritually, results in “scar tissue on the soul.”  This is failure to follow God’s plan of executing the Christian Way of Life.  The reversionist is a believer in perpetual carnality, out of fellowship with God and controlled by his sin nature.  If you are not advancing toward spiritual maturity as a Christian, you are retreating into reversionism. (Ephesians 4:19)

As the reversionist moves further away from God, his conscience becomes more and more “seared”, his norms and standards revert to human viewpoint and the “scar tissue on the soul” begins to build.  Capacity for life is replaced with the temporary happiness of the World System: money, power, social status and material possessions.  What a person thought was going to bring him lasting happiness only brings delusion.  Delusion leads to frustration, discouragement and even depression. (I Timothy 4:2; II Timothy 3:1-7)

Removal of this “scar tissue” is not easy, but it is possible.  It can be removed only by the consistent, persistent intake and application of Bible doctrine.  As the believer utilizes I John 1:9 (confession of known sins) and replaces Human Viewpoint Thinking with Divine Viewpoint Thinking by learning and applying accurate Bible doctrine, the “scar tissue” slowly begins to be removed. (Psalms 119:130)

In Ephesians 4 we find the decline into reversionism, and the recovery process.  In the first half of the chapter we see a church executing the Christian Way of Life and growing spiritually.  It is the “worthy walk” of the believer that is being described by Paul in verses 1-16.  In verses 17-19 Paul admonishes these believers for sliding into reversionism.  In verses 20-32 Paul gives these same believers the recovery process.

In verse 17 Paul warns these believers not to walk as the unbeliever (which apparently some were doing), in the vacuum or emptiness of their mind.  This leads to “blackout of the soul” and “scar tissue on the soul” as described in verse 18.  Verse 19 gives us the next progressive step in reversionism, which is total indulgence to the trend of the sin nature.  In this case it is lascivious lawlessness.

Build-Up of Scar Tissue

(Ephesians 4:17-19)

Verse 17

“This I say therefore and testify in the Lord” – Greek

“Marturomia” – to summon as a witness; to bear witness

“that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk” – Greek “Peripateo” – the whole realm of human activity; your manner of living

“in the vanity of their mind” – Greek “Mataiotes” – emptiness or vacuum.  This vacuum draws into the mind the satanic doctrine of this World System producing darkness, legalism, religion and human viewpoint thinking.

Verse 18

“Having the understanding” – Greek “Dianioa” – the faculty of their understanding; their mind

“darkened” – Greek “Skotizo” – to darken, to black out, to deprive of light

“being alienated from the life of God” – Greek “Apallotrioo” – aliens

“through the ignorance that is in them” – Greek “Dia+ Agnoia” – willful stupidity; lack of perception

“because of the blindness” – Greek “Porosis”- callousness or scar tissue

“of the heart” – Greek “Kardia” – soul; a compartment of the mind

Verse 19

“Who being past feeling” – Greek “Apalgeo” – to become callous or insensitive

“have given themselves over” – betrayed themselves by turning over their will

“unto lasciviousness” – Greek “Aselgeia” – excess; promiscuity; absence of restraint

“to work all uncleanness” – Greek “Akatharsia” – lewdness; moral impurity

“with greediness” – Greek “Pleonexia” – insatiable lust; filthy gain

Corrected translation:  “This I say therefore and bear witness that you should not live as the unbeliever.  They live in an empty vacuum because their minds are deprived of the light of God.  They are aliens from the life that is in God, through willful blindness.  Their souls are covered with a callus or scar tissue.  They are also in an insensitive state, having turned over their wills to excess indecency, which works all manner of moral impurity.  And they can’t get enough of it.”

Removal of Scar Tissue from the Soul

(Ephesians 4:20-24)

Verse 20

“But” – sets up a contrast between the believer using Divine Viewpoint Thinking and the believer using Human Viewpoint Thinking

“ye have not so learned Christ” – this is contrary to what you have learned about Christ;  not learning Christ means not learning about Christ.  In other words, not learning the thinking of Christ (Bible doctrine).  Bible doctrine is what removes the scar tissue.

Verse 21

“If so be that ye have heard of Him and have been taught by Him” – heard the truth about Him; learning Bible doctrine is hearing Him

“as the truth is in Jesus” – He is the truth (John 14:6)

Verse 22

“That ye put off”- Greek “Apotitheimi” – to put away or lay aside

“concerning the former conversation” – Greek “Tropos” – manner of life; Human Viewpoint Thinking

“the old man” – the Sin Nature

“which is corrupt” – Greek “Phteiro” – moral decay

“according to” – Greek “Kata” – norm or standard of the Sin Nature

“the deceitful lusts” – Greek “Apate” – to cheat; to give a false impression

Verse 23

“And be renewed” – Greek “Ananeoo” – to make young; to reinvigorate

“in the spirit of your mind” – by means of the Spirit that is in your mind; the filling of the Holy Spirit

Verse 24

“And that ye put on” – Greek “Enduo” – to take as yours

“the new man” – the New Spiritual Nature; the human spirit

“which after God is created in righteousness” – Greek “Dikaiosune” – the new spiritual nature is created perfect and is unable to sin (sin comes from the sin nature) (I John 3:10)

“and true holiness” – Greek “Hosiotes” – a right relationship with God in Time and Eternity

Corrected translation: “But this is not what you have learned about Christ.  Since you have heard the truth about Him and have been taught by His example as the living Word of God, because the truth resides in the person of Jesus Christ – put away the former manner of living with its Human Viewpoint Thinking, which originates from the Sin Nature.  The Sin Nature is corrupt according to a pattern of false desires; desires not in keeping with God’s norms and standards.  But rather be reinvigorated or renewed in your thinking by means of the filling of the Holy Spirit.  And take as yours the New Spiritual Nature, which after the likeness of God is created as perfect righteousness resulting in a right relationship with God for Time and Eternity.” (II Corinthians 5:21)

The believer is given the righteousness of God at salvation along with a new spiritual nature (the human spirit). Therefore, the potential exists to renew your mind (Divine Viewpoint Thinking) by means of the filling (control) of the Holy Spirit.  Renewal of your mind removes the build up of scar tissue on the soul.  The potential also exists NOT to renew your mind, continue to use Human Viewpoint Thinking and continue to build up scar tissue on the soul.  Both are potentials for the Christian. (Romans 12:1-2)