Emptiness

This Sunday we are looking at Ephesians 5:4-14 as Paul reminds believers that the gospel radically changes people's lives. Specifically, in verses 3-14 Paul speaks out against sexual immorality, any kind of impurity and any kind of greed. The believer is to be shaped not by darkness and sin but by light and the gospel.

One verse I found interesting is verse 6: Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. In the battle against sin, you will hear many deceitful words that lead to emptiness - empty living, empty purposes, empty hearts, empty minds and empty futures. It is all a lie! Satan, the world and our remaining sin would have us ignore the great promises of God and live not by faith but by sight as we seek to satisfy our desires with emptiness.

One is reminded immediately of Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes as he relates various experiences with money, women, work and great possessions - all of which lead to one word: emptiness (meaninglessness).

Why does the church seem to run on empty, filling time with religious words but so little godly action? Why are so many Christians filled with anxiety and disappointment rather than joy? Is it because we are listening to deceitful words that lead to empty living? In other words, true joy and meaning is found in light, not darkness and that means our lives must be radically different than the world which is without the gospel.