City Life Starter

Written by Scott Fiddler

The Word

“Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”

Ephesians 2:3

Reflection

Here, the Apostle Paul is speaking to the Ephesian Christians, and he is reminding them that he and they formerly lived in sin. Paul confidently presumes one who has been born-again will have turned away from sin and begun living as a new creature in Christ. See 2 Corinthians 5:17. Paul’s statement would make no sense if real change was not possible.

What Paul says he could only say if he was no longer living in the lusts of his flesh, indulging in the desires of the flesh of the mind, and was no longer of a nature that made him a “child of wrath.” Paul could look back on the former days with a clarity only true change can bring. One must be a sufficient distance to see some things clearly. You can only see how big a mountain truly is when you are miles from it. So, it is with our former lives. The more we are changed, the more we realize how much we needed changing.

But as with most things pertaining to the Christian life, change requires our participation — even salvation requires a response from us; God doesn’t save us against our will. So it is with our change from children of wrath living “in the lusts of the flesh” and “indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind.” All things become new in the moment of salvation, but memories, patterns, and practices remain impressed in us like tire marks in dried mud. To break up these hardened patterns and practices so the new nature and the life of Spirit can shine forth, we must be intentional.

Application

In short, if we want real substantive change, we must pursue godliness. In fact, this is exactly what Paul told his disciple, Timothy. See I Tim 6:11. We must pursue godliness the way we have pursued the other things we have desired so desperately in our lives, and when we do, – partnering with the Holy Spirit at work in us – we will see real substantive change.

Prayer

Lord, please change me as I pursue godliness. In Jesus name, amen.