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You are here: Home / Are All Gentiles Depraved in the Mind? (Ephesians 4:17-19)

Are All Gentiles Depraved in the Mind? (Ephesians 4:17-19)

By Jeremy Myers
4 Comments

Are All Gentiles Depraved in the Mind? (Ephesians 4:17-19)

Ephesians 4:17-19 is often quoted along with 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, and Ephesians 2:1-5 as evidence that the unregenerate person has no ability to understand, comprehend, or respond to the truth of God and the gospel.

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness (Ephesians 4:17-19).

futility of the mind Ephesians 4

Note several things about this passage.

1. Paul is Warning Believers

First, Paul is calling upon his readers to stop walking in the way that other Gentiles walk. While Paul’s readers are most likely regenerate, Paul’s exhortation implies that walking in darkness is a distinct possibility for believers. This will be seen more later when we look at the Calvinistic doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints.

2. Walking in Futility is a Choice

knowledge ignorance futilitySecondly, however, and more to the point about Total Depravity, it appears that even these Gentiles who walk in the futility of their mind do so because they have chosen to do so. In Ephesians 4:17-18, Paul strings together several perfect participles, which means that they are dependent upon the time of the main verb in his statement. The main verb is the past-tense (aorist) found in Ephesians 4:19 where Paul says that “they have given themselves over.” In other words, this means that the reason these Gentiles are futile in their minds, have their understanding darkened, have blindness of their heart, and are past feeling, is because they gave themselves over to lewdness, uncleanness, and greediness.

There is no doctrine of Total Depravity or total inability here. What there is, however, is the all-important biblical message that first we make our choices, and then our choices make us. Paul is saying that the Gentiles of whom he is speaking made the conscious choice to live in sin, and as a result, they have become darkened in their mind, feelings, and understanding. We might say that their conscience is seared, that they live in willful ignorance, and their past choices are reaping present results.

Both Believers and Unbelievers Choose to Live in the Futility of their Mind

Based on this understanding, it only makes sense then, that Paul warns his believing readers to not make the same choices. Choices for sin, though they do not cause someone to lose their eternal life once they have it, can cause serious long-term consequences in the life of the believer. Paul wants his readers to put off that old way of conduct, and live their new life in the Spirit with the new man which was created by God for righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).

Ephesians 4:17-19 is not teaching about Total Depravity or total inability, but about the devastating results of choosing sin over righteousness.

These truths apply not just to unbelievers, but to regenerate believers as well.

If you want to read more about Calvinism, check out other posts in this blog series: Words of Calvinism and the Word of God.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Books by Jeremy Myers, Calvinism, Ephesians 4, Theology of Salvation, Theology of Sin, Total Depravity, total inability, TULIP

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  1. Godfrey says

    October 22, 2014 at 8:51 am

    We are all gentiles

    Reply
    • Seth says

      October 27, 2014 at 11:37 am

      Except for the Jews, of course. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Phil Oxford says

    May 8, 2017 at 10:53 pm

    Hi. Ephesians 4:17-19.
    Practical examples?
    It all seems rather religious “though shall not” ish.
    I work amongst unbelievers for whom “lewdness” is pretty much their way if life & they see nothing really wrong.
    What IS the better way to think & act & how can we get them (& believers who possibly stray this way) to EXPERIENCE the opposite, the way of the light, renewed mind thinking, expression.
    Not​ all Unbelievers see this as “life” but restricting rules etc spoiling our enjoyment & fun in life! We must be missing a crucial message here because Jesus is life & fun & joy & freedom – to live the better.
    Those struggling in this myre will, I guess, welcome freedom from that which depressed & presses them down.
    But the “others”, the “I’m alright Jack’s”?

    Thoughts?

    Reply

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