The book of Ephesians has many good chapters, but the fourth chapter often becomes the focus of our attention. Let me give a brief resume of this chapter, starting from verse 8. Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father with all majesty and authority and gave gifts to men. He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers. Verses 12 and 13 show the purpose of those gifts and ministries: to equip the saints for the work of service and to bring them into a unity of faith, into the knowledge of Christ, into a mature man who measures up to the full stature of the fullness of Christ.
Then verses 14 to 16 reveal the objectives of maturity: that we no longer be children tossed to and fro, but we speak the truth in love and grow up unto all aspects in Him. We are to be a Body in which every member is functional and contributes to every other member. That is the reason God has given the ministry of apostles and prophets today so that we will grow up and become mature.
Looking at verses 17 to 24 (a passage often neglected), we see that the ultimate objective is to bring us to the place where we do not walk as the Gentiles, in the futility of our minds. The word “futility” in the King James version is translated, “vanity,” as in Romans 8:20, which says that all creation was “subject to vanity.” The New American Standard Bible translates that passage “subject to futility.” The literal meaning of “futility” is “uselessness,” a state where everything seems useless and pointless, not going anywhere. The King James word “vanity” refers to vanity not in the sense of being filled with pride, but rather in the Old English meaning of being useless, without effect or success.
Creation has been subjected to futility in hope, so that when the sons of God come forth in their manifestation, they in turn will release creation from the vainness, the uselessness, the futility that reigns over it (Romans 8:20, 21).
The apostles and prophets are to help us come up to that full measure spiritually. Our vision of these gift ministries must deepen until we see them not merely as those who are given to us for commissioning or for final confirmation in the direction of our lives, but we see them more as a means toward our maturity by which we will come into the full measure of what God wants us to be.
If a minister does not see constant change in the lives of the people to whom he ministers, he is not walking in the ministry that God has given him.
Apart from a revelation from the Lord, the only indication that a minister is really fulfilling his ministry is the fact that the people become the seal of that ministry.
When he sees that they no longer remain immature, when he watches the changes in their lives, when he sees their maturity coming forth, then he knows he is fulfilling his ministry.
A ministry is not interested merely in numerical success—figures on a Sunday School board declaring how many people attended church last year, last Sunday, and this Sunday, and stating the projected growth. Rather, he is seeking deep spiritual growth within every individual.
In every church in which the true foundational word is constantly received, in which the people are submissive to that word and continue in the apostles’ teaching, in fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, there is a distinguishing quality. Even the babes, who only recently had hands laid on them and were prophesied over, are already abounding in ministry. Above everything else, God intends to deliver us from the futility of the mind that rests upon the world, and to bring us to a renewed mind: a mind delivered from the futility under which all creation and humanity will be blanketed until the time we come into this ministry.
After recounting the purposes of the gift ministries in the preceding verses, Paul begins with this theme in verse 17 of Ephesians 4. This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind. This futility is not only on all creation—the animal world, the mineral world, the plant world—but it goes further than that. It is a spirit, the spirit of futility, that has entered the human mind.
You are not to walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility (or the vanity, the vainness) of their minds, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart. Verse 18.
Notice all those “because’s” The futility of their minds brings a darkening of their understanding, and they are excluded from the life of God. Why? Because of the ignorance that is in them. The ignorance is in them because of the hardness of their hearts. This is the picture of the world, and this is what God delivers us from.
And they, having become callous, having given themselves over to sensuality.… Verse 19. In America there exists much sensuality, and as a result, a callousness has come into people’s minds. This ignorance is in them because they have been excluded from the life of God.
When a person becomes a Christian, it does not matter how stupid or even mentally retarded he may be. The minute he opens up to the life of God, a special kind of knowledge begins to develop within him; and he rises into a new level far beyond what is normal for someone of his capabilities. When people open up to God, sooner or later a special kind of knowledge comes to them. If they do not open up, there is an ignorance in them because they are excluded from that life of God that gives wisdom and understanding.
Do you think you are a mess? Just keep on walking with God; keep opening up to Him. Nothing can replace walking with God. If you walk with Him every day and keep your heart open, you will see fantastic changes in your life.
And they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just us the truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life (back under the futility of the mind), you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit. Ephesians 4:19–22.
Notice the phrase “lusts of deceit.” No one who gives himself over to lust is truly aware of how much deception is in it.
Almost every spirit of lust is combined with a spirit of deception. Stop and think a moment how the lusts of deceit creep in.
Consider, for example, the people in the world. They have to keep up a certain glamour, an illusion. Every woman knows that glamour is deceitful, something that is put on to create an illusion.
What about the men? They too assume a phony front. A man will create the illusion that a certain woman is really something special to him, yet his feeling is only that of lust. Striving for another conquest, he goes after strange flesh in the lusts of deceit (Jude 7).
All kinds of movements have come up today to protest the present attitude toward sex. Women protest being looked upon as just sexual outlets. They want to be accepted as individuals. On the other hand, the men want to be liberated too. Down in their hearts, they secretly cannot accept the delusion. Sooner or later they can no longer stand themselves because they know that they are phonies; the lusts of deceit are in them.
What happens to people when they come into a walk with God and the illusion is taken away? They no longer have the facade of glamour and the lusts of deceit. They no longer give themselves over to sensuality, in the manner described in the Scriptures: “becoming calloused, they give themselves over to sensuality with the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness” (Ephesians 4:19). Instead, they continually become more wholesome. No matter what their background, they begin to gravitate toward a wholesome openness.
The attraction they feel toward another member of the Body is in purity. They strive for that purity and righteousness. They hate phoniness. Even though they may still be caught in it to some degree, they hate it and yearn for the day when everything is open and they will know even as they are known (1 Corinthians 13:12).
The same honesty is coming forth in every area of church life. Too often a phony approach has been used even among ministers. A minister may feel he must create a glamorous illusion or preserve a certain image before his people.
When a church is truly moving in God’s pattern, the spirit of truth, of speaking the truth in love prevails (Ephesians 4:15). When the minister stands behind the pulpit, he has a certain transparency. He does not need to protect an image. Though the people can see the problems and faults that he is trying to overcome, they do not condemn him, for they also see the beautiful thing that God is working in him.
No one has to put on a front or an illusion or create an image in order to be accepted. Can we live with that type of honesty? Most assuredly!
People soon grow tired of the glamour approach; they can endure it for a time; then they leave. But people never grow tired of the ministries who minister honestly before the Lord. After many years, they are still listening intently to the word of the Lord, not because some personality or image attracts their attention, but because the deep truthfulness appeals to them.
It is not easy for people accustomed to the lusts of deceit to move into the truthfulness and openness in the Lord. At first, they are suspicious because they cannot believe it is genuine. They have been disillusioned by so many promoters that they do not believe anyone will be honest with them.
As problems arise, we must continually lay them in the open. We must face them for exactly what they are—not in malice, but by opening our hearts to the truth.
We are aware of others having problems because we have problems. We are also aware of the glorious sonship coming forth in ourselves and in others. God gives us a prophetic vision to see the truth about one another and to see what He wants for each one of us, as we open our hearts to love our brothers. Instead of rejecting a person the minute his image is marred, we support and help him in the name of the Lord.
Continuing with Ephesians 4:23, 24: And that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
There is a vast difference between the mind governed by futility and the renewed mind. While listening to sermons or reading the Word, do you suddenly see new truths? Does a new way of thinking become real to you? The more you open your mind to it, the more real that way of thinking becomes to you. What has prevented you from seeing these truths before? It takes the Holy Spirit to renew the spirit of your mind. As it is renewed, you put on a new self; you begin to think by different patterns of thought and respond to things differently than you ever have before.
As our minds are renewed, we do not become robots, all responding a certain way; but we come into the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).
This will be very necessary in the days to come, for then all the lies and illusions of Satan will make little headway with the people of the Lord. If it were possible (but it is not), he would deceive the very elect (Matthew 24:24).
He will come creating a lying image, preying upon the futility of mind of people who have been darkened in their understanding and excluded from the life of God.
He will come to those who have been overcome by the ignorance that is in them because of the hardness of their hearts. Those who see the illusions and the lies of Satan as the truth will follow after him. The real believer is one who has been delivered from those deceitful lusts, and he speaks the truth in love.
Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. This presents quite a different picture. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. Ephesians 4:25–27. Your new way of thinking does not mean that everything will have an unrealistic appearance.
You will see your brothers’ needs and will sometimes become angry, but not with the kind of anger that smolders and takes root in bitterness and resentment which darkens your heart for years. Instead, it is the kind of anger that comes when you see what is wrong and you cry to God to meet the need; the sun never goes down upon that wrath. Speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger. Do not sin in your anger.
At times there is a stirring our my spirit over a situation that is wrong. At first, there is almost an indignation within us; but when we commit it to the Lord ,He gives us the answer and the course of action that should be taken, then we feel a peace.
This is what God wants. He has been angry about the situation too. When in my anger I do not sin, and the sun does not go down on my wrath, when I move toward the solution of the problem, then God can bless. That, I believe, is the true meaning of the Scripture.
The futility of mind which rests upon the world is not our portion. Our minds are being renewed, and we become sharp and keen to discern not only what a person needs, but also what God is doing in him. We are not impressed by the veneer that people use. We can see through that facade; it does not mean anything. God is bringing forth the Church in all of its beauty and purity, and the first thing He is doing is delivering us from the futility of mind that rests upon the Gentiles, so that we walk no longer as the Gentiles, who walk in the futility of their minds.
The book of Ephesians speaks a great deal about walking, and in every passage about walking it is actually referring to the whole way of living.
The way we live is not according to the futility of the mind of the people in the world. In Ephesians 2:2 we read: … you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. This is the way we used to walk, in the way of the world’s thinking, even as Satan does.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are brought forth by God as a new creation, in order that we walk in good works and in a life that He has planned for us.” This is what all of us are trying to do. We are trying to rise above the human level of striving and into what God has had for us from the foundation of the world.
I know God has something for me that I have not yet attained. He has more for me. I desire the destiny He has for me to walk in; and no matter what it is, I yearn to get into it as quickly as I can. I want to walk in it.
Every time we look at a person, we think of him according to God’s revelation concerning him; and we learn to think only in terms of that revelation.
I know there is something important God is working out in every person’s life. The only thing that hinders it is the fact that our thinking still follows old patterns of thought.
We must be renewed in the spirit of our minds. We must see the destiny that God has for us. Sometimes we want to shake people (especially those who have many prophecies over them) and tell them to wake up. They are living their lives without any awareness of the destiny that God has for them or of the way He really wants them to walk.
The Kingdom of God, that is to fill the earth, begins within you—as you overcome the futility of your mind, the futility that rests in your thinking, and the futility that rests upon your whole life. Shake it! Get rid of it! The minute you begin to seek God, Satan tries to engulf you with the old patterns of futility and uselessness, of hopelessness, of despair and inadequacy. God is helping you to overcome all of that. You are coming into the full realization of everything He has for you.
If those who are over you are successful in the ministry that God has appointed for them, then you will change. But do not put all the responsibility on them; it is your responsibility too. They are responsible to set before you the anointed word that brings the renewal of your mind and takes you out of that futility of thinking and into the thinking of a son of God.
Nothing is too big to tackle; nothing is impossible with God when you think God’s thoughts after Him, and your heart responds in an “Amen” to them. Whatever God says, you believe. In the day when His words abide in you as you abide in Him, you will ask what you will, and it will be done to you (John 15:7).
There is no limit to the authority that will be manifested through God’s people in the day when they are completely delivered from the futility of mind and the responses of the world, and with a renewed mind in God they respond to the word of God, and the word of God alone.
We are believing for and claiming the release from the futility of mind. We are believing audaciously to become channels of revelation, to speak as the oracles of God. We are believing to minister by the ability that God gives and to so abide in Him and have His Word so abide in us, that we will ask whatever we will, and it will be done.
As Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, we are believing for all authority in heaven and in earth to be manifested through us as we are seated in the heavenly places with Him.
We believe the Lord to give everyone in the Body a like mind and a like spirit to believe in terms of the impossible happening daily. Miracles by the world’s thinking are going to be the everyday occurrence of those who believe. We believe for an existence that is literally lifted up to the very throne of God.