Lesson for June 2, 2024
The Fragmented Life
Lesson 5
Ephesians 4:17-19, “So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, that you are to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their minds,being darkened in their understanding, excluded 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 up to indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.”
Recovery from a life lived in a state of reversionism and fragmentation is possible. Like the gradual slide into reversionism, recovery is also a process that takes time.
Paul gave a strong admonition to certain believers in Ephesus to stop living (walking) as unbelievers. The walk of a fragmented life produces a vacuum or emptiness of the mind (futility). The Greek word for futility is “mataiotes,” meaning vanity or emptiness. A vacuum in the soul of a believer, caused by fragmentation, leaves an opening for satanic doctrine to invade the soul.
Because of the hardness of their heart;and they, having become callous. The longer a believer continues in a life of fragmentation, the farther away from God and His Word they will become. This condition eventuates in building scar tissue on the soul (hardest of their heart). Left unchecked, scar tissue (callous) will eventually lead a believer into blackout of the soul. Blackout of the soul (darkened in their understanding) is a condition of the soul that results from the buildup of scar tissue and eventually rejects God and accurate Bible doctrine in favor of indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
Ephesians 4:20-24, “But you did not learn Christ in this way,if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”
But you did not learn Christ in this way. Paul gave us the recovery process beginning in verse 20. First, a believer is to recall the Bible doctrine that they have learned in the past. The Greek word for learn is “manthano,” indicating a process of study, which is not the same as simply reading your Bible. The connotation is not to simply learn the doctrine of Christ academically, rather get to know Christ as the unique Person of the universe, which is spiritual knowledge. In learning about Christ, application can be made that will cause a believer to have a lifestyle which leads to recovery of their spiritual life.
If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him. The Greek word for taught is “didakos,” indicating that a pastor-teacher is involved in this learning process. Therefore, the first step to recovery after Rebound is to make the consistent study and application of Bible doctrine number one priority.
That in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit.Before you can begin the recovery process, you must Rebound, and recover your fellowship with God. (I John 1:9) Then you must stop allowing your sin nature (the old man). to control your soul.
And that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds. Now, we have the resumption of the spiritual life after Rebound, that had previously been abandoned. How do we do this? We do this by renewing our minds (not by attempting to change our behavior). The mind of a believer is renewed by the consistent study and application of Bible doctrine. Right thinking leads to right actions. Removal of the scar tissue on the soul takes time and patience; with ourselves and/or with others who might be going through this recovery process.
And to put on the new self. Rebound, the filling of the Holy Spirit, study, and application of God’s Word, and resuming your spiritual life are all caught up in the phrase put on the new self. This is not a reference to salvation, but rather to your spiritual life. In other words, stop being controlled by your sin nature (the old self) and start being controlled by your human spirit (new self). Which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. The process of transformation takes place in the mind, in accordance with God’s standards of righteousness and holiness, from accurate Bible doctrine (truth). Paul was referring to practical righteousness, which is fulfilling the Christian Way of Life by living in God’s power system, the Divine Dynasphere.
Holiness of the truth refers to experiential sanctification. Holiness is being set apart to God in a right relationship. It’s accurate Bible doctrine used by a believer who has been in a state of reversionism that will eventually remove the scar tissue on their soul and lead them to a full recovery of their spiritual life. If a believer is to fully recover from reversionism and fragmentation, they must use God’s system: 1) use the Rebound Technique 2) decide to make God’s Word a priority by learning it and applying it consistently 3) allow the Holy Spirit to empower, guide, and teach them. (Romans 12:1-2)
Positive volition toward God and His Word means more than passing interest in it. If a believer says that they love Bible doctrine and they are not exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit, then they don’t really love God or Bible doctrine, and they are deceiving themselves. If a believer truly loves the Word of God, then they will consistently study it, believe it, and apply it, which will change the way they think. The character of Christ will be demonstrated in their life as a result of their recovery. (Galatians 5:22-23; II Timothy 2:15)
Colossians 3:1-2, “Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.”
If you have been raised with Christ (and you have as a believer in Christ), you are to begin a lifestyle of thinking divine viewpoint. The Greek word for seeking is “zeteo,” meaning to search for, to pursue, to endeavor, to investigate, to examine, or to desire to possess. All these meanings indicate positive volition toward God and His Word. The imperative mood of seeking is a command to all believers to continuously learn and apply (keep seeking) Bible doctrine.
Set your minds on the things that are above refers to spiritual things found in the teachings of the Word of God. After salvation, a believer must continue to renew their thinking by studying and learning accurate Bible doctrine. Not (setting your mind) on the things that are on earth is a reference to stop thinking about things that Satan’s world system has to offer.
Believers who are living their spiritual lives are residing in God’s power system under the filling of the Holy Spirit. Unbelievers do not have a spiritual life, since they have no relationship with God. The same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells within believers. Using this power is a matter of positive volition.
Romans 8:11-12, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He Who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies (experientially) through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—for if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die (fragment your spiritual life); but if by the (Holy) Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
There are certain obligations that go with privilege, and this is what is meant here. We have a privilege in life that others, who do not know Christ as Savior, do not have. The moment we believed in Jesus Christ as our Savior, we were born into the Royal Family of God. Therefore, we have an obligation to live according to the power and guidance of God the Holy Spirit. This verse presents our obligation to God, and the Christian life, as freedom from the power our sin nature has over us.
Divine Viewpoint Thinking under the filling of God the Holy Spirit is the key to overcoming the power of our sin nature. When we begin to think the way God thinks, we will be able to recognize overt and mental attitude sins in our lives. Once these sins are recognized, we can acknowledge, isolate, and forget them (putting to death the deeds of the body). This, of course, can eventually break the power that certain sins have over us. However, we must constantly be on guard.
Victory over certain sins comes as we apply the doctrine that we have learned. Therefore, it is imperative that believers have more than mere academic knowledge of God’s Word. Academic knowledge must be converted to spiritual knowledge by faith and accurate application (wisdom). As Divine Viewpoint Thinking permeates your thinking, Bible doctrine becomes your scale of values, your norms and standards begin to align with God’s, and your conscience is influenced in a positive way. Thinking divine viewpoint sets up a standard by which you can evaluate everything that enters your mind, including temptation to commit personal sin. Divine Viewpoint Thinking will bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ and keep a believer from fragmenting their spiritual life!