Futility of Mind & Hardness of Heart

In Ephesians 4:17, Paul says that Christians “must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” In this insightful passage, we see the connection between doctrine and life, even in the case of non-Christians. According to Paul, Gentiles pursue lives of pleasure and sensuality because they believe that life is ultimately purposeless and futile. Christians, however, are called to live in light of God’s revealed purposes in Christ, and to put off the old self with its deceitful desires.