The Old Man’s Moral Depravity (1)

The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:17-19 that the true Christian no longer conducts himself (or herself) like the non-Christian. He then actually lists a few characteristics that can really be boiled down to three traits. First, the Old Man is characterized Intellectual Deficiency (v. 17b), and, second, Spiritual Debility (v. 18).

Third, the Old Man is characterized by Moral Depravity (v. 19): Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. This trait is, indeed, the result of the first two. 

What happened in man’s mind now expresses itself in his behavior. He is, indeed, past feeling. This term is among the most graphic in Scripture. The Greek used here (apalgeo) appears only here in the New Testament and means to cease from feeling pain or grief. Men, women, and even adolescents can do unthinkable things to other people—murder, torture, mutilation, abortion, and more—but feel absolutely nothing. I have heard police officers say that they have seen adolescents do such things but see not a glimmer of guilt or remorse in their dead eyes. This develops over time, a little at a time.

One commentator writes: “[It could be translated] ‘having got over the pain.’ How expressive! When conscience is first denied, there is a twinge of pain; there is a protest that can be heard. But if the voice is silenced, presently the voice becomes less clear and clamant; the test is smothered; the twinge is less acute, until at last it is possible to ‘get over the pain.’”

Indeed, every person starts out feeling guilt when wrong is done, but the sin gets easier and easier until they finally “get over it” and no longer feel anything. Writing concerning the sin of Israel, Jeremiah declared, “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush” (Jer. 6:15). How true that is today! Recall the immorality of former president Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski. Graphic sexual terms were talked about in the evening news and few people seemed to care. Indeed, society has lost the ability to blush.

Another commentator writes: Unmoved by the approaching judgment of God, whom they offend, they go on at their ease, and fearlessly indulge without restraint in the pleasures of sin. No shame is felt, no regard to character is maintained. The gnawing of a guilty conscience, tormented by the dread of the Divine judgment, may be compared to the porch of hell; but such hardened security as this—is a whirlpool which swallows up and destroys.”

Famous 19^th Century Presbyterian minister and lecturer Thomas Dewitte Talmage recounted the time he was taking a tour of a medical museum in Philadelphia with a very learned surgeon of that day. The surgeon pointed out glass cases containing splintered bones, and the cancerous protrusions, and fractured thighs, and he said: “What beautiful specimens they are.” Talmage’s thought was that if that man had to endure the agonies that those things suggested, he would not have thought they were such splendid specimens. Likewise, men are past feeling; they have become detached from that which should affect them deeply.

The rest of the verse graphically describes the practical outworking of such depravity: they have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. We’ll examine these next time.