Loving the Boss

Ephesians 6:5-9

Slaves are to work with the knowledge that they are working for the Lord and Masters are to treat there slaves in the same way. The passage spends most of its time on the first point and very little time on the second.

The key words that stand out to me is respect, fear, and sincerity of heart. I think that the onus is really on us to, by the help of the holy spirit, create this attitude within us towards those in authority over us. This leaves us little room to be critical and lots of room for a heart change. I think this is really maintenance because as you grow and change in your work you need to guard yourself against overconfidence, and arrogance. I think another part of this is to build a relationship with those in authority. If we are intentional in supporting them, and getting to know them this is a lot easier. This is really another challenge to cause us to be conscience in shaping the attitudes of our hearts and living a life worthy of our calling.

Brand, Shiny, New Me or Gentile Me?

Ephesian's 4:17-24

Paul describes the moral condition of the gentiles as being hardened hearts that have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and then he reminds the church to put off there old selves, described above, and put on their new selves in Christ. Their new selves is a change in attitude to become like Christ in righteousness and holiness.

In vs. 20 I am confused as to how Paul arrives at this point. I don't understand what he means when after he describes the gentiles he says that they "did not come to know Christ that way." How would they have. Is this rhetorical? Meant to illustrate the deep divide between their old selves and new selves? Or is he saying that the following of our desires is not the way to know God, but rather being taught the truth is the way to the "new self". I am honestly looking for your thoughts and ideas to put this passage together.
I think that this battling hardening hearts, and struggling to put on a new attitude of the heart is one of our central lifelong challenges. I don't see how it ends or how there is one all-time cure that allows to never have to struggle with a hardening heart.

I can use the hardening heart, and the previously mentioned marks of maturity again to measure myself and my life by. This could create a set of questions that I regularly ask myself, in prayer, and use as a barometer of where I am at. Unfortunately they are not just yes or no questions and will require some work.