Ephesians 4:17 “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,”
It is obviously true that some people’s “understanding” is “darkened” and they are “alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Ephesians 4:18). These people are “past feeling” and “have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Ephesians 4:19). But, “born again” (John 3:1-8) Children of God “have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:20-21). That is, we did not learn immorality, dishonesty, mean spiritedness, and greed from our Lord Jesus Christ. We are charged to “put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And … put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24). The bad behavior of other people does not free us to behave badly ourselves! We are charged to never compromise our obedience to the Lord and to not participate in the ungodly and immoral behaviors of those around us. If we began to participate in the world’s bad behavior, we will “give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27); that is, we will give “the devil” a “place” in our mind so that he can lead us into even more ungodliness – the end-result, in this present life, is great ruin and suffering! The ungodly are headed off the cliff, so let’s not follow them! Therefore, let us “walk not as other Gentiles walk” for they “walk” “in the vanity of their mind”, not in the blessed Spirit of our Lord!