Ephesians 4:17

“This. say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind”

“This. say therefore”: Resuming the exhortation found in Ephesians 4:1-3. “Testify”: “A solemn declaration, protest, or injunction” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 338). “So what. mean and insist upon in the Lord's name is this” (Gspd). “Insisting on it” (Boles p. 284). “In the Lord”: “Speaking for the Lord” (Tay). “I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord” (NIV). Paul is speaking with Divine authority (1 Corinthians 14:37), hence all Christians are expected to heed and obey this message. “That ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk”: That is to resist any conformity to the world (Romans 12:2).

“His readers knew from experience what he was saying; for they had been pagans themselves, and they were still living in. pagan environment. But they must live that way no longer, even if all around them others continued to do so” (Stott p. 174). This means that being surrounded by unbelievers, does not give us the right to behave like them. Unfortunately, some Christians today try to excuse their unfaithfulness by blaming it upon the fact that too many temptations surround them. God expects purity from His people even when they are surrounded by. very immoral culture (1 Peter 2:15; Ephesians 5:11; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Timothy 4:12; James 4:4; 1 Peter 4:4). The truth is that the world has always been. "wicked place" to live. If God expected His people to remain pure, even in such cities as Ephesus and Corinth, then He certainly expects all Christians, both young and old to remain pure in whatever big or small city they live today. It is significant that Paul did not command these Christians to separate themselves from society, that is sell all their possessions and migrate into the desert or some other isolated area. God expects His people to live better lives than unbelievers, while living right in the midst of them (Matthew 5:13).. religion that turns people into isolationists is not Christianity. This section of Scripture is the negative side of "walking worthily". verses Ephesians 4:1-3 is the positive aspect of walking worthily, Ephesians 4:17-19 the negative aspect.

“In the vanity of their mind”: “With their good-for-nothing notions” (NEB). “Whose minds are filled with folly” (Con). “Do not continue to live such purposeless lives” (TCNT). The term vanity is “derived from the noun that means that which does not lead to the goal. That which is without real context, hollow. Their mind directs them on. wild-goose chase” (Lenski p. 553). “Purposeless, uselessness given over to things devoid of worth or reality” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 339).

“What is immediately noteworthy is the apostle's emphasis on the intellectual factor in everybody's way of life. He thus refers to their empty minds. Scripture bears an unwavering testimony to the power of ignorance and error to corrupt, and the power of truth to liberate (John 8:32), ennoble and refine” (Stott pp. 175-176). One's conduct is determined by what one really believes in their own mind (Proverbs 4:23; Mark 7:20). Not all opinions or views are equal, in fact some views and opinions are completely worthless, and any view that does not harmonize with the Bible is "vain" because such. view is not true. Futile thoughts and mental preoccupations are self-chosen (Romans 1:18 “but they became futile in their speculations”). There is. high price for abandoning God and His truth. Part of that price includes. mind that is left to worthless and aimless thoughts and goals. Hence, one cannot reject God and still maintain. hold on to the truth, common sense, and reality. Unbelief not only hurts the soul and morality, it also hurts the intellect.