Introduction
Kingdom ethics and the ethics of the world are very different. Sometimes Christians see them as just slightly different, but is this the testimony of Scripture or the opinion of the world? The ways of the world sometimes creep into the church. Today we will discover that Paul commands we are called to the new way of Christ, not the old ways of the world.

There are two important things to note as we discuss ethics. First, remember that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works. Our ethical behavior, even if it's Christian, can’t save us. Second, in taking Christian ethics seriously, many have made an idol of them and fallen into the trap of legalism. We are called to care about Christian ethics, but be careful, or you can become a Pharisee.

Today’s Scripture
Ephesians 4:17-19 (New Living Translation)

"With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity."

Explanation and Reflection
Paul does not play around with living like the world. To Paul, it’s not just a little off course, but substantially off course. We need to take sin seriously.

1. Hopelessly Confused
   Those who are outside of Christ are not just slightly confused. According to Paul, they are “hopelessly confused.” Those who do not know and follow Christ have no hope. They don’t just see things differently, and that’s okay. No, they do not have salvation and live outside of God’s will.
2. Full of Darkness
   Apart from Christ, there is no light. Minds not redeemed by Christ are dark. It’s not that the Christian’s mind is perfect. Instead, the Christian mind has two things that keep it in the light. First, it seeks to honor Christ in thought and action, even if it falls short. Second, the Christian mind is forgiven and redeemed. This is very different from the unredeemed mind without cleansing. One must be forgiven and reborn by the Spirit to receive this regenerated mind.
3. Wandered Far
   The secular mind is lost. While unbelievers are made in the image of God, worthy of respect and honor, and are capable of incredible things, that mind still needs reconciliation through redemption found in Christ alone.
4. Closed Minds
   It is popular in our culture for those outside the church to call Christians “closed-minded.” Paul would flip that on its head. Paul would contend that the closed mind is the mind that is irresponsibly open to anything. The mind open to Christ is truly free because God’s ways are true freedom. Liberty beyond the boundaries of God’s truth is a prison. The world's ways seem right in a person’s eyes (Proverbs 21:2), but ultimately lead to destruction. The secular mind is no true form of freedom at all.
5. Hardened Hearts
   Beyond the mind, the heart is often the biggest obstacle to following Christ. Our emotional responses are usually more powerful than our reason. For most people, their heart is their guide. Therefore, negative and positive emotions keep people from surrendering to Jesus. Negative emotions like hurt, anger, fear, and shame make us think God is against us rather than for us. Positive emotions like enjoyment, pleasure, and personal happiness keep us from giving up the pleasures of this world for the riches of God’s kingdom.
6. No Sense of Shame
   One of the hallmarks of present-day culture is that it condemns all forms of shame. In other words, you shouldn’t be ashamed of anything. People are encouraged to do shameful and shocking acts because if they don’t, they are not being true to themselves. Personal expression is the highest virtue in our culture. However, in Biblical culture, expressing God’s will and ways is the highest virtue over personal expression.
7. Lustful Pleasure
   When shame goes out the window, lust and pleasure become the goals. Hedonism is the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is life's sole or chief good. We live in a hedonistic culture. This is antithetical to the Gospel. The Gospel requires that we put God and others before personal pleasure.
8. Practice Impurity
   The final outcome of all this is sin. Sin seems great in the moment, but ultimately, it leads to bondage and death. The ways of the world offer instant gratification with a short-term dopamine high. The ways of the Kingdom are about delayed gratification with long-term, eternal benefits that lead to human flourishing in this life and the next.

The opinion that “it’s not that big of a deal” when it comes to darkness in the church is not the New Testament’s view of morality. It’s very clear that we, as Christ followers, should be completely different from the world.

Question of the Day
Here's a question for you to think about and apply:
Where do you live more like the world than follow the ways of Christ? How can you realign your lifestyle so your ethics are more Gospel-centered?