Ephesians 4:18

Appeal For New Behavior

¹⁷ So I mean this and now testify to it in the name of the Lord: You must now stop living as the heathen usually do, in the frivolity of their minds, ¹⁸ with darkened understanding, estranged from the life of God because of the ignorance that exists among them and because of the stubbornness of their hearts; ¹⁹ for in their recklessness they have abandoned themselves to sensuality which leads to excessive practices of all sorts of immorality.

Hardness of Heart

Life of God

No

Ephesians 2:12

At that time you were without any connection with Christ; you were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the sacred compacts made by God's promise, with no hope, and no God in the world.

Galatians 4:8

But at that former time, as you did not know the true God, you were slaves to gods that do not really exist,

1 Thessalonians 4:5

not out of evil passions as the heathen do who do not know God;

Acts 17:30

Though God overlooked those times of ignorance, He now commands all men everywhere to repent,

Romans 1:21-23

because, although they once knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give Him thanks, but became silly in their senseless speculations, and so their insensible hearts have been shrouded in darkness.

Romans 11:25

For to keep you from being self-conceited, brothers, I do not want to have a misunderstanding of this uncovered secret, that only temporary insensibility has come upon Israel until the full quota of the heathen peoples comes in,

Matthew 13:15

For this people's soul has grown dull, and with their ears they can scarcely hear, and they have shut tight their eyes, so that they will never see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn to me, so that I may cure them!'

Mark 3:5

So Jesus looked around at them in anger, because He was pained over their stubbornness of mind, and said to the man, "Hold out your hand." And he held it out, and his hand was cured.

John 12:40

"He has blinded their eyes and benumbed their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes and understand with their hearts, and turn to me to cure them."

Acts 26:17-18

I will continue to rescue you from the Jewish people and from the heathen to whom I am going to send you,

Romans 1:28

And so, as they did not approve of fully recognizing God any longer, God gave them up to minds that He did not approve, to practices that were improper;

Romans 2:19

and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness,

Romans 8:7-8

Because one's thinking the things suggested by the lower nature means enmity to God, for it does not subject itself to God's law, nor indeed can it.

1 Corinthians 1:21

For since in accordance with the wisdom of God the world had never in reality, by means of its wisdom, come to know God, God chose through the nonsense of the message proclaimed, to save the people who put their faith in Him.

2 Corinthians 3:14

Besides, their minds were made dull; for to this day that same veil remains unlifted, whenever they read the Old Covenant; because it is only through union with Christ that it is removed.

2 Corinthians 4:4

In their case, the god of this world has blinded the eyes of the unbelievers, to keep the glorious light of the good news of Christ, who is the likeness of God, from dawning upon them.

Colossians 1:21

So you, who were once estranged from Him, and hostile in disposition as shown by your wrongdoings, He has now reconciled

James 4:4

You faithless wives! Do you not know that the friendship of the world means enmity with God? So whoever wants to be a friend to the world puts himself down as an enemy to God.

1 John 2:11

But whoever continues to hate his brother is in darkness and is living in darkness, and he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.