Making a Difference! (3)

Ephesians 4:20-21

Only the Person of Truth can Transform Lives

In the verses immediately preceding our passage in Ephesians 4, Paul had just described the futility of the life of unbelievers who were spiritually ignorant and who had calloused hearts.

Many of those people sense the futility of that life and want to make some changes. So they try all kinds of different approaches, based on what they consider to be the truth:

o Some people try religion. But religion can’t change lives. I think that is one of the reasons that Jesus was so hard on the religious leaders of his day. The kind of religion they were dishing out – one based on rules and regulations that were intended to insure their power and influence – actually put people in bondage, rather than set them free. But the truth leads to freedom, not bondage. If you have the premise that Christ is truth you can see why Jesus's words in John 8:32 are so important...

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 (NIV)

If you know Jesus who is the truth, you don't have to live in bondage, we all get freedom.

o Some people try programs. There are certainly many of them out there. You can find them in the self-help section of any bookstore. There are all kinds of seminars out there that promise to help you change your life. And then, of course there is the internet. This week, I found a site called “My Self-Help.com”. The site promises to help you with problems like depression, guilt, eating disorders, and even compulsive shopping – for a fee of just $20/month, of course. That probably won’t help you with your debt problems.

o Some people try will power. They figure that they can change their lives on their own if they just believe in themselves and have enough discipline.

Some of those things may seem to work for a while, but none of them can ever permanently break the cycle of the life of futility Paul described in verses 17-19. Only the person of truth, Jesus, can do that.

We get a very clear picture of the kind of transformation that Jesus brings:

o Futility to fullness
o Ignorance to knowledge
o Deceit to truth
o Separation to intimacy
o Falling apart to building up
o Immaturity to maturity
o Instability to steadfastness
o Sensuality to sensitivity
o Greed to contentment

No one or nothing else can ever bring that kind of transformation in our lives, only the truth, Jesus, can do that. So how do I allow the truth to transform my life? I think Paul gives us a couple of ideas about how to do that in this passage. More tomorrow...you are loved!