Leaving the Past Behind

In Ephesians 4, we find that God’s redemptive blessings compel us to leave our past way of life behind and pursue the way of life consistent with our high calling in Christ. As Paul unpacks that old way of life, he paints a bleak picture of people whose actions are governed by futile thinking. Their reasoning is devoid of understanding because they are alienated from the life of God. They are willfully ignorant because of their stubborn hearts. They have lost all sense of shame, indulging themselves without restraint, giving in to cravings for all kinds of self-defilement. Paul tells us this is who we once were and, as the redeemed of God, we must leave the past behind to pursue the purpose for which God has saved us.