Ephesians 4:17

Ephesians 4:17 says, This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,  Paul told the Christians at Ephesus, those who were Gentiles, that they were no longer to walk as other Gentiles.  Those who were not followers of Christ walked in the vanity of their minds.  I believe that Paul was saying that those who were not Christians followed after empty ideas.  Verse eighteen adds, 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:  I do not believe that Paul was saying that those who didn't believe in Christ failed to do so because God had darkened their understanding, but that their own refusal to believe in Christ was a result of their own will.  When someone refuses to accept Christ as Savior and Lord, then they are alienated from God because of their own blindness to the truth.  Verse nineteen continues, Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  Paul tells us that those who refuse to believe in the gospel of Christ are given over to the desires of the flesh.  Paul said this leads to a life ruled by the desires of the flesh.  Verse twenty declares, But ye have not so learned Christ;  Paul tells us that if we are living by the desires of the flesh that this is nothing that we have been taught by or learned from Christ.  If we are truly following Christ, then we cannot be ruled by the desires of the flesh.  We are held to a higher standard.  Verse twenty-one adds, If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:  If we have not heard of and accepted and been taught by Christ, then we will be ruled by the desires of the flesh.  Paul said that truth exists in Jesus.  I believe that truth is that there is no other way to salvation but to accept the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for our sins.  When we do this, the Holy Spirit will lead us to a greater understanding of how to live by faith.  Verse twenty-two continues, That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;  We are no longer to speak as we did before we were saved.  Now, everything that we say should come from the love of God for everyone.  We cannot just condemn the non-believers, but must speak the truth of the gospel to them, both with our words and our actions.  Verse twenty-three says, And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;  If we are following Christ, we need to have a new spirit in all our thoughts.  We are to be directed by the Holy Spirit in our thoughts and actions.  Verse twenty-four adds, And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.  We can no longer live ruled by the desires of the flesh, but we have become a new person in Christ.