Here is another quote from Sinclair Ferguson, "In three verses (Eph. 4:17-19) Paul summarises the teaching he gives at greater length in Romans 1:18-32. It is sobering conscience-probing analysis. It describes the true nature of the world apart from Christ. It is a catalogue of what we all are by nature. He puts a spiritual stethoscope to our hearts to let us hear that its beat is out of control. Apart from Christ's work the cosmos was destined to futility (Rom. 8:20). Apart from God's special revelation the human race (=Gentiles, those who have never had the special revelation of grace) was condemned to futility. Its every effort to solve the jigsaw puzzle of existence was doomed to frustration. Satisfaction and fulfilment sought in the creation rather than in the Creator, worshipping it rather than him, became the high road to eternal disappointment. While unbelievers may affirm that their rejection of the Christian faith is fundamentally a matter of intellectual integrity, Paul stresses that the rebellious disposition of the heart drives and directs the understanding. Thus the Scriptures tell us something about the unbeliever which he or she tends to deny, suppress and repress - namely that their rejection of God runs contrary to what they know 'deep down' to be true (cf. Rom. 1:18-23). Since this was once true of us we need to be reminded to be patient in our witness and to pray for the illuminating and regenerating work of the Spirit as we bear witness to Christ."

All of us were once children of wrath and enemies of the Living God, and WE "circumvented the clear teaching concerning the qualifications for the offices of Elder and Deacon." While it is true I am "not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God" (1 Jn. 4:1) I need to remember the exhortation from our brother Ferguson that everyone outside of Christ was ONCE a master circumventor of the clear teaching of EVERYTHING in the Scriptures. However comma I need to be patient (and loving) in my witness and to pray for the illuminating and regenerating work of the Spirit and believe that our God will change their views about doctrines that are unbiblical (e.g., women elders). To me that is what Christianity is about - God reforming or transforming my life, understanding what I once was .... who I am now .... what happened to me. Here is Sinclair Ferguson again, "Clearly it takes a lifetime to work out into our thinking and living all the implications of this truth. But Paul has given notice that the gospel is message of cosmic proportions. It is no small thing to become a Christian. We do not naturally think about ourselves this way. We need to be taught it. And we need to learn it. Better, we need to learn Christ. That will lead us to discover how our old identity has gone; we have been given a new identity in Christ. Our lives can never be the same again."