ALIENATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD
Ephesians 4:18
Morning Meditation 3/17/2014
"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:"
Being alienated from the life of God is not something that is a small matter. It is to be lost. To be lost is to be lost from God and His family and like a lost sheep cannot find its way home. It is to have hell as its final place of abode. Hell is a place from which one cannot escape. It is like one of the black holes in space that is such that light cannot escape from it. There are several questions that we will use to probe this verse.
WHAT IS MEANT BY "THE LIFE OF GOD?"
1. Jesus Christ was the perfect exhibition of this life. In Him this life was manifested as a life of--
C2B7 Holiness. He was the image of God, although in the likeness of sinful flesh. A life lived in fellowship and favor with God. Isaiah was given insight into the relationship between Jesus and His Father. He tell us in Isaiah 50:4-5, "The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: HE WAKENETH MORNING BY MORNING, HE WAKENETH MINE EAR TO HEAR AS THE LEARNED. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back." (Caps mine) It is clear from this that Jesus had daily intercourse with His Father and received instructions. The life of the Father was manifested in Christ as a life of holiness.
C2B7 Self-sacrifice. He pleased not Himself. He loved us and gave Himself for us. He always pleased the Father. Matthew 17:5, "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Jesus sacrificed His life in obedience to the Father's will and in love for a lost world. His self-sacrifice gave the unsaved of this world their only chance of salvation.
C2B7 Inward joy and peace. He could say, "My peace I give unto you," and that "My joy may remain in you." The life of God is a life in perfect harmony, with perfect environment. Jesus had a joy that nothing could disturb. This is brought out in Hebrews 12:2, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." This is the kind of inward joy and peace the believer needs. We are constantly thrust into an environment that is alienated from God. We are not liked. We are not to allow the world's hatred of us to rob us of our joy and peace. We must trust the Lord for his enablement to manifest the life of God within us. Next we ask--
WHAT IS MEANT BY BEING "ALIENATED" FROM HIS LIFE?
1. It is to have no likeness to God. It is to have no kinship of nature. It is to be separated by sin, and living at enmity with Him. This is brought out in Romans 8:7, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."
2. It is to have no fellowship with God. As soon as Adam sinned he fell out of communion with God. Those in fellowship with the powers of darkness cannot walk in this light. This is brought out in Acts 26:18, "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."
3. It is to have no hope in God. Where there is no faith in Jesus Christ there is no hope, and those without this hope are without God in the world. This is brought out in Ephesians 2:12, "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:" The next question is--
WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF THIS ALIENATION?
1. It is ignorance. Our text gives the answer: "Alienated through the ignorance that is in them." This is willful ignorance, for Jesus said, "If ye had known Me, ye would have known My Father also."
2. It is blindness. Our text says, "Because of the blindness of their heart." Jeremiah had learned this. He brings this out in Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Many do not want to believe that his heart is as desperately wicked as the Word of God says it is. However, man looks at his heart in comparison to others whose heart is as desperately wicked as his is. The final question is--
WHAT IS THE CURE OF THIS ALIENATION?
1. First, there must be confession. Confession is agreeing with God's diagnosis of one's condition. We are all sinners. All of us need forgiveness and the only forgiveness that God has to offer is through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Second, there must be the reception of Christ as Saviour. John 1:12, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"
3. Third, there must be submission. To abide in His fellowship there must be a continual surrender of the will to God. John 15:10, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."
Paul illustrates this in Acts 16:7, "After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not." Paul's intention was to go into Bithynia. But we are told, ". . . the Spirit suffered them not." Paul's will was in subjection to the will of Christ. When he purposed to go some place to preach the gospel, he was available for immediate change if the Lord prompted him to go in another direction. There must be submission to His will if we are to please Him.
May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.
In Christ
Bro. White
