The Reality of Alienation from Divine Life in Theology
Alienation from divine life is a theological concept describing humanity's separation from God, often understood as a consequence of the Fall [1, 3]. This state is characterized by a darkened understanding and a hardening of the heart, leading to spiritual ignorance [2, 4, 7]. The Apostle Paul describes this condition in Ephesians 4:18, stating that Gentiles are "darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts" [2].
The "life of God" from which humanity is alienated refers to the life by which God lives in His people, a life that was present in Adam before the introduction of death and darkness into human nature [3, 4]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, explains that God's original design was to live in humanity, and this divine life was intended to bring happiness, without which true happiness is unattainable [4]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary on Ephesians 4:18 notes that the terms "darkened" and "alienated" imply that humanity, in its first father, once partook in life and light but revolted from this primitive revelation [3].
This alienation is not merely a lack of knowledge but a profound spiritual condition. Torrey's Topical Textbook identifies several aspects of this spiritual death, including carnal-mindedness, walking in trespasses and sins, spiritual ignorance, unbelief, living in pleasure, and hypocrisy [1]. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, elaborates on the "darkened understanding," explaining that while the natural faculty of understanding remains, it is profoundly ignorant in spiritual matters, such as the nature of God, the consequences of sin, the person and work of Christ, and the doctrines of Scripture [7]. Gill also notes that the Colossian saints were once "alienated" before the Gospel came to them and while they were in a state of unregeneracy, highlighting the transformative power of grace [8].
The state of alienation is considered the natural condition of all humanity by nature [1]. The fruits of this alienation are described as "dead works" [1]. However, the biblical narrative also offers a path to deliverance from this state. Deliverance from alienation is achieved through Christ [1]. Passages such as John 5:24-25, Ephesians 2:5, and 1 John 5:12 indicate that believers are raised from this spiritual death through Christ [1].
The concept of abiding in Christ is crucial for maintaining connection to divine life. Jesus states in John 15:5, "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch." John Gill interprets this to mean that anyone who makes a profession of Christ but then denies the truths of the Gospel or lives unworthily will be cast out like an unfruitful branch [5]. Adam Clarke, commenting on John 15:6, emphasizes that a person can be genuinely united to Christ, like a branch to a tree, and yet be cut off if they do not bear fruit. one tradition argues against the idea of a "seeming union," stating that if the union is only apparent, then the excision would also be only apparent [9]. This highlights the importance of genuine and ongoing spiritual vitality to avoid the consequences of alienation.
The consequences of alienation can be severe, as seen in Ezekiel 14:5, where God threatens to "take the house of Israel in their own heart," ensnaring them through their idolatry and hypocrisy [6]. This suggests that alienation can lead to a state where individuals are given over to their own deceptions [6]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary on Jude 1:19 notes that some individuals "separate themselves" from the vital, spiritual reality of Church communion, even if they outwardly participate in ordinances [10]. This underscores that alienation is an internal spiritual condition, not merely an external separation.
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Death, Spiritual — Alienation from God is -- Eph 4:18. Carnal-mindedness is -- Ro 8:6. Walking in trespasses and sins is -- Eph 2:1; Col 2:13. Spiritual ignorance is -- Isa 9:2; Mt 4:16; Lu 1:79; Eph 4:18. Unbelief is -- Joh 3:36; 1Jo 5:12. Living in pleasure is -- 1Ti 5:6. Hypocrisy is -- Re 3:1,2. Is a consequence of the fall -- Ro 5:15. Is the state of all men by nature -- Ro 6:13; 8:6. The fruits of, are dead works -- Heb 6:1; 9:14. A call to arise from -- Eph 5:14. Deliverance from, is through Christ -- Joh 5:24,25; Eph 2:5; 1Jo 5:12. Saints are raised from -- R”
- Ephesians “being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts; -- Ephesians 4:18”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 4:18: More literally, "Being darkened in their understanding," that is, their intelligence, or perceptions (compare Eph 5:8; Act 26:18; Th1 5:4-5). alienated--This and "darkened," imply that before the fall they (in the person of their first father) had been partakers of life and light: and that they had revolted from the primitive revelation (compare Eph 2:12). life of God--that life whereby God lives in His own people: as He was the life and light in Adam before the irruption of death and darkness into human nature; and as He is the life in the rege”
- Ephesians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ephesians 4:18: 2. Having the understanding darkened - This is the second instance alleged by the apostle of the degradation of the Gentiles. Having no means of knowledge, the heart, naturally dark, became more and more so by means of habitual transgression; every thing in the Gentile system having an immediate tendency to blind the eyes and darken the whole soul. 3. Being alienated from the life of God - The original design of God was to live in man; and the life of God in the soul of man was that by which God intended to make man happy, and without which true happiness was nev”
- John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 15:5: If a man abide not in me,.... Christ does not say, "if ye abide not in me"; he would not suppose this of his true disciples; Judas now being removed, to whom he may have some respect in this verse; though it may be applied to anyone who has made a profession of Christ, and denies the truths of the Gospel, neglects the ordinances of it, or walks unworthy of his profession: of whom the following things may be truly said, he is cast forth as a branch; that is unfruitful, and is therefore taken away from the vine, and cast forth out of the vineyard. This signifies the eje”
- Ezekiel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ezekiel 14:5: That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart,.... By which they are ensnared, and drawn aside to their ruin; being given up to strong delusions, to believe a lie, and worship idols; God threatening to answer them by righteous judgments, and thereby take the wickedness, the hypocrisy, and idolatry, that were in their hearts, and expose and make it manifest unto others; or, by punishing them, to draw out the corruption and sin that were in them, that it might be seen what a wicked people they were. The Targum interprets the text in another way, "that I may ”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 4:18: Having the understanding darkened,.... Not that the natural faculty of the understanding is lost in men, nor the understanding in things natural and civil, and which is quick enough, especially in things that are evil; but in things spiritual it is very dark and ignorant, as about the nature and perfections of God, his holiness and righteousness; about sin and the consequences of it; about Christ, his person, office, and work, and salvation by him; about the Spirit, and his work of grace upon the soul; and about the Scripture, and the doctrines contained in it; and”
- Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 1:21: And you that were sometime alienated,.... The general blessing of grace and reconciliation, which belongs to the whole body of Christ, the church universal, all the elect of God, whether in heaven or in earth, is here particularly applied to the saints at Colosse, who were eminent instances of it; and that the free grace of God towards them in it might more illustriously appear, the apostle takes notice of what they were before the coming of Christ in the flesh, before the Gospel came among them, and while in a state of unregeneracy, as that they were "alienated":”
- John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on John 15:6: If a man abide not in me - Our Lord in the plainest manner intimates that a person may as truly be united to him as the branch is to the tree that produces it, and yet be afterwards cut off and cast into the fire; because he has not brought forth fruit to the glory of his God. No man can cut off a branch from a tree to which that branch was never united: it is absurd, and contrary to the letter and spirit of the metaphor, to talk of being seemingly in Christ - because this means nothing. If there was only a seeming union, there could be only a seeming excision: so the”
- Jude (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jude 1:19: These be they--showing that their characters are such as Peter and Paul had foretold. separate themselves--from Church communion in its vital, spiritual reality: for outwardly they took part in Church ordinances (Jde 1:12). Some oldest manuscripts omit "themselves": then understand it, "separate," cast out members of the Church by excommunication (Isa 65:5; Isa 66:5; Luk 6:22; Joh 9:34; compare "casteth them out of the Church;" Jo3 1:10). Many, however, understand "themselves," which indeed is read in some of the oldest manuscripts as English Version h”