“And they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness” (Eph. 4:19).
Many expressed great shock when it was discovered that Tiger Woods was involved in multiple affairs. We collectively wondered, “How could a guy who had everything, be so foolish.” The answer is found in this verse. Tiger has never claimed to be a Christian. He doesn’t have God’s Spirit indwelling him and thus moving him to righteous activity.
Paul now indicates that Gentiles (people without God), because of their failure to respond to God’s truth become more and more calloused in their ability to feel shame. When one feels no shame for sinful behavior they often abandon themselves to a way of life that is an actual betrayal of what they were created to be—their true selves. The end result is outrageous conduct of any kind. It is a life without any care for personal standards or social sanctions.
While it is true that the description above would not be applied to every Gentile of Paul’s day, or ours for that matter, but it is the inner reality of man and society lived without God’s empowering. We have a tendency to discount or forget the incredible power of sin and the weakness of human will without God’s Spirit.
Once again, I want to remind us that Paul is warning them about falling back into this pre-Christian way of conducting one’s life.
Prayer: Father, let me never become calloused to Your word and Your way for my life. Amen.