A Note from Michael Gossett
Distinct in Christ: A Call to Stand Apart
We are living in a time when moral categories are becoming increasingly blurred, and personal identity is constantly perceived as a shifting target. Recent studies have revealed the rapid pace of these shifts. According to Pew Research in 2023, 74% of U.S. adults now say that “what is right or wrong depends on the situation,” rather than abiding by any fixed standard of morality. In another survey, only 39% of Americans said they believe in absolute truth, which is a sharp decline from previous generations.
Meanwhile, trust in organized religion seems to continue to erode. The number of religiously unaffiliated adults has risen to 28%, which is a number that has more than doubled since 2007. Among those who claim Christianity, an alarming number hold beliefs that diverge from historic orthodoxy. Lifeway Research found that 56% of evangelicals believe that “God accepts the worship of all religions,” which is completely antithetical to the exclusive claims of Christ (in particular John 14:6).
In such a difficult climate, the boundaries between light and darkness, truth and deception, righteousness and wickedness have been diminished. The result is a cultural fog in which few can see clearly, and even fewer can walk confidently. It is in this setting that the apostle Paul’s words in Ephesians 4 sound like a clear call to the church. Ephesians 4:17 says, “You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do.”
To live as a follower of Jesus today requires more than nominal association but rather demands spiritual distinction. It requires believers to resist the strong pull of moral compromise and instead be clothed with the character of Christ.
Forsake the Way of the World
Paul describes the surrounding culture in Ephesus as walking in “the futility of their minds,” darkened understanding, alienated from the life of God, and given over to sensuality and impurity. This is not just a description of first-century paganism, but rather it is a mirror of our moment in time as well. A society detached from truth inevitably falls into the trap of confusion.
The apostle notes a sobering reality. Apart from Christ, human reason is not neutral, it is vain. The mind without the Spirit can perform scientific methods, build empires, and write poetry, but it cannot perceive the glory of God. As Romans 1:22 says, “Claiming to be wise, they became fools. Intellectual brilliance cannot compensate for spiritual blindness.”
Paul also highlights the alienation that characterizes life apart from God. Modern people often boast of autonomy, but spiritual independence is nothing more than isolation. It is a soul cut off from its Source. As Augustine wrote in his Confessions, “The heart is empty until it rests in God.” In the absence of divine fellowship, people search endlessly for meaning through success, sex, status, or self-expression, but nothing will ever satisfy.
That restless pursuit eventually gives way to a hardened heart. Paul describes this as becoming “callous,” a condition where sin no longer stings and conscience no longer speaks. Like hands hardened by years of labor, the soul can grow numb to the things of God. This is not only dangerous, it is damning.
Embrace the Life of Christ
“But that is not how you learned Christ.” With those words, Paul makes a decisive turn. Christian living is not built on cultural accommodation but on spiritual transformation. True believers are not simply reformed, they are remade. The call is to “put off the old self” and “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (v. 22 and 24).
This change is not cosmetic, it is creative. Just as God breathed life into Adam from the dust, so now He breathes spiritual life into the hearts of those redeemed by Christ. The believer’s new self is not an upgraded version of the old man but a wholly new creation. This is what it means to be born again according to John 3:3-8.
This new life bears the likeness of God in righteousness and truth. Righteousness which means right conduct rooted in a right heart. Truth means sincerity and faithfulness to what is real and eternal. The Christian does not adopt these traits by willpower alone. They are cultivated as fruit of communion with Christ and submission to the Holy Spirit.
You and I are never going to be able to become holy by gritting our teeth or “white knuckling” our way into it. The only way is by clinging to Christ, who is the Holy One. To walk in the newness of life is to walk in step with the Spirit. It is to be made more like Jesus, not just in action but in affections, desires, and priorities.
Live a Life that Reflects Jesus
Paul closes this section with a list of practical outworkings of a life that has been transformed with the truth of Jesus. Each of these is relational, reminding us that holiness is not a private virtue but a public witness.
- Let your words be honest because deception distorts the image of God who cannot lie.
- Let your anger be righteous because unrighteous anger opens a door to the devil.
- Let your labor be productive so that your work becomes a blessing to others.
- Let your speech be gracious so that it builds up rather than tears down.
- Let your posture be kind and tenderhearted because Christ has been kind and tenderhearted toward you.
What marks all of these commands is that they flow not from effort but from essence. They are not about performing for God’s approval, but about living out of the new identity given to you by grace. Paul is not urging believers to strive toward distinction, but to walk in the distinction already granted to them in Christ.
Then comes the striking command in verse 30: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” It is possible for believers, by their sin, to cause sorrow to the very Spirit who sealed them for redemption. This grief is not the loss of His presence, but the loss of intimacy. When we walk contrary to His work, we hinder our own joy and effectiveness.
The Beautiful Burden of Being Distinct
In a culture where compromise seems convenient and conformity is almost expected, the believer is called to live as a radiant contrast. This is not easy. It is not trendy. But it is gloriously true.
Your distinction is not rooted in your personality, background, or preferences, but rather it is found in Christ. He is your righteousness, your holiness, your identity. The world will always press you to blend in, but Scripture calls you to stand out. This is not to be done arrogantly, but humbly.
Do not settle for being a Christian in name only. Do not live as an undercover disciple. Put on the new self and let your life shine with the beauty of holiness. Let the watching world see something different in you and let that difference be Jesus.
This Sunday at Green Acres:
Come to worship at Tyler or Flint at 9:30am or 11:00am and Español at 11:00. We also have Connect Groups, which are essential for your growth in Christ, that meet at 8:00am, 9:30am, and 11:00am. Come and join us!
You are loved and prayed for!
Michael Gossett