“Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” Ephesians 4:17 ESV
Reflection: who do you consider to be the “Gentiles”?
We touched previously on the topic that God’s people are to be different than those who are of the world. Again today, we are faced with a scripture that breaks the paradigm of what is often taught in the church, about whom Paul is talking to. As we think of this, keep in mind that this letter was written to the Ephesians, to the early Christians in the ancient Greek city of Ephesus which is part of current day Turkey. An impressive, large and thriving city, with an estimated population of over 200,000 at the time Paul arrived there. And, Paul being an apostle to the Gentiles, Ephesus was one of the cities the Holy Spirit led him to. Again, to spread the gospel to the Gentiles. And, some of the people there did receive the gospel, and became followers of Christ as we see from this letter. But that leads us to a difficult question. Who is Paul then talking to when he states in today’s verse,
“you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do”?
If the Christians there are not to walk “as the Gentiles do”, who then are the Gentiles? The letter was written to the early Christians there, to those who have been born again, who had become God’s people through Christ. Aren’t many churches and teachers today considering them, even after becoming Christian, still as Gentiles? So that principle is clearly in conflict with the Bible. We read previously how Paul addressed them “To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:” Ephesians 1:1b ESV, and he also explained about their situation “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,” Ephesians 2:19 ESV. According to Paul’s writings then, all who have received Christ are God’s people. He refers to those who are still on the outside, as Gentiles.
Paul explains perhaps most clearly this to the Galatians, which also was in a Greek city, “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:26-29 ESV. Therefore, if you are in Christ, you are no longer part of the “Gentiles”.
In the following verses of Ephesians chapter 4 and 5, Paul goes on, giving significant details about how we are to live as God’s sons and daughters, as His children, being taught by Christ as our Lord. He starts by saying “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22, 24 ESV.
Let us follow what the Word of God says.
