Given over

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. – Ephesians 4.17-19

We live in a terrible dark and broken world. Of course the world has always been dark and terrible, its just that now we have access to know what is going on everywhere. We see it within minutes so it is mush more aware to us. It is hard to keep the evil of this world hidden. It is obvious that the world has given itself over to lasciviousness and uncleanness and greediness.

There are a couple of points to be made here. One is that we are not to live that way. Don’t walk that way. It does not suit us. It does not represent Christ. Seeking after the world and its ways is not for us.

But there’s  something else we need to remember. The world acts the way it does is because it is the world. It is given over to wickedness. We can’t expect to reform without Christ. Too often we think if we can just get people to change their ways or get laws passed to conform to our way somehow things are going to be better.

Nothing is going to change a given over world but new life in Christ. Once given over it’s not going to come back. Reformation is not enough – what we need is repentance  and reconciliation and rebirth and restoration.

So we can only expect a lost world to act lost – and focus on bringing them to Christ