Ephesians 2
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Ephesians 2:1-3:
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. |
Warfare against spiritual evil is threefold: we wrestle not only against Satan but also against the world and our flesh. Paul argued, “…you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also” (Ephesians 2:2–3). Spiritual warfare is not simply a conflict with demonic forces. Because the world is fallen, we too fight against ungodly structures, like the human trafficking and pornography industries. Because of our sinful nature, we also fight against our heart’s inclination to lust, boast, and deceive. Spiritual warfare is submitting unseen evil, unjust systems, and our latent sins to the gospel’s power. -Daily Grace
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"Before an individual can be saved, he must first learn that he cannot save himself."
—M. R. DeHaan, M.D. (1891-1965)
—M. R. DeHaan, M.D. (1891-1965)
Being a son of something involves being born with its traits.
Paul writes of "the course of this world." The Greek word kosmos, translated into the English word "world," essentially means an "orderly system." To human eyes beholding all the activity throughout the earth, the world looks anything but orderly. It looks confusing, to say the least. However, that conclusion depends on one's perspective.
What is going on to discerning eyes, the eyes of one to whom God has revealed Himself, is an orderly system of deception cloaked by restless activity among humans involved in constant wars, thousands of religions, evil conduct, corrupting entertainments, and other distracting, time-wasting business and social vanities. All of this restless activity is in reality nothing but a smokescreen hiding a sinister influence from discovery.
Notice something to which we generally do not pay much attention. The word "world" appears as the object of the preposition "of." This prepositional phrase modifies "course," showing us that Paul is speaking of a specific "course" available to us to choose from among others. The Greek word translated "course," aion, is especially interesting. At first, it indicates "an age," "an indefinite period of time," and by extension, "perpetuity."
However, Vine's Dictionary of New Testament Words provides an interesting alternative, saying that it also means, "Time viewed in relation to what takes place during that period" (emphasis added). Aion, then, does not have to mean simply "time" in some form: Vine shows that it is correctly translated "place" in Hebrews 5:6. Other commentators go into greater detail, but we will quote only two highly respected ones that other commentators frequently cite as authorities.
First, Richard C. Trench is a resource virtually every commentator eventually quotes on the definitions of biblical words. He defines aion as: . . . all that floating mass of thought, opinions, maxims, speculations, hopes, impulses, aims and aspirations at any time current in the world, which is impossible to seize and accurately define, but which constitutes a most real and effective power, being our moral or immoral atmosphere which at every moment of our lives we inhale, again inevitably exhale.
Aion, translated as "course" in Ephesians 2:2, is the vague, ever-present immaterial realm that we are surrounded by and live in. It is interesting that Trench ties his definition to air, in that, even as we unconsciously breathe air in and out to sustain life, the course of the world is every bit as necessary to carnal life and is affecting us invisibly and constantly.
Second, Johann A. Bengel adds that aion is ". . . the subtle informing spirit of the Kosmos, or world of men who are living alienated and apart from God." This is what Germans termed zeitgeist, the spirit of the age—the "informing spirit"! The term "spirit" is used to indicate the invisible, immaterial influence whose characteristics are absorbed and then manifested in the attitudes and conduct of the general population of a given people.
An American commentator, Kenneth Wuest, is very helpful at this juncture: To distinguish between aion and kosmos, kosmos gives the over-all picture of mankind alienated from God during all of history, and aion represents any distinct age or period of human history as marked out from another by particular characteristics.
Course in Roget's International Thesaurus, under the heading "tendency," has such synonyms as "thoughts," "zeitgeist," "spirit," "disposition," "character," "nature," "makeup," "bent," "slant," "frame of mind," "attitude," "inclination," "mind-set," "drift," "perspective," and many more. It may be easier to understand "course of this world" by rephrasing it into statements such as, "according to the disposition of this world"; "according to the character of this world"; "according to the nature of this world"; "according to the makeup of this world"; "according to the mindset, drift, or perspective of this world."
Paul writes of "the course of this world." The Greek word kosmos, translated into the English word "world," essentially means an "orderly system." To human eyes beholding all the activity throughout the earth, the world looks anything but orderly. It looks confusing, to say the least. However, that conclusion depends on one's perspective.
What is going on to discerning eyes, the eyes of one to whom God has revealed Himself, is an orderly system of deception cloaked by restless activity among humans involved in constant wars, thousands of religions, evil conduct, corrupting entertainments, and other distracting, time-wasting business and social vanities. All of this restless activity is in reality nothing but a smokescreen hiding a sinister influence from discovery.
Notice something to which we generally do not pay much attention. The word "world" appears as the object of the preposition "of." This prepositional phrase modifies "course," showing us that Paul is speaking of a specific "course" available to us to choose from among others. The Greek word translated "course," aion, is especially interesting. At first, it indicates "an age," "an indefinite period of time," and by extension, "perpetuity."
However, Vine's Dictionary of New Testament Words provides an interesting alternative, saying that it also means, "Time viewed in relation to what takes place during that period" (emphasis added). Aion, then, does not have to mean simply "time" in some form: Vine shows that it is correctly translated "place" in Hebrews 5:6. Other commentators go into greater detail, but we will quote only two highly respected ones that other commentators frequently cite as authorities.
First, Richard C. Trench is a resource virtually every commentator eventually quotes on the definitions of biblical words. He defines aion as: . . . all that floating mass of thought, opinions, maxims, speculations, hopes, impulses, aims and aspirations at any time current in the world, which is impossible to seize and accurately define, but which constitutes a most real and effective power, being our moral or immoral atmosphere which at every moment of our lives we inhale, again inevitably exhale.
Aion, translated as "course" in Ephesians 2:2, is the vague, ever-present immaterial realm that we are surrounded by and live in. It is interesting that Trench ties his definition to air, in that, even as we unconsciously breathe air in and out to sustain life, the course of the world is every bit as necessary to carnal life and is affecting us invisibly and constantly.
Second, Johann A. Bengel adds that aion is ". . . the subtle informing spirit of the Kosmos, or world of men who are living alienated and apart from God." This is what Germans termed zeitgeist, the spirit of the age—the "informing spirit"! The term "spirit" is used to indicate the invisible, immaterial influence whose characteristics are absorbed and then manifested in the attitudes and conduct of the general population of a given people.
An American commentator, Kenneth Wuest, is very helpful at this juncture: To distinguish between aion and kosmos, kosmos gives the over-all picture of mankind alienated from God during all of history, and aion represents any distinct age or period of human history as marked out from another by particular characteristics.
Course in Roget's International Thesaurus, under the heading "tendency," has such synonyms as "thoughts," "zeitgeist," "spirit," "disposition," "character," "nature," "makeup," "bent," "slant," "frame of mind," "attitude," "inclination," "mind-set," "drift," "perspective," and many more. It may be easier to understand "course of this world" by rephrasing it into statements such as, "according to the disposition of this world"; "according to the character of this world"; "according to the nature of this world"; "according to the makeup of this world"; "according to the mindset, drift, or perspective of this world."
We are all “by nature children of wrath” because we are all by nature sinners–for God’s wrath is not on a person unless they are a sinner and deserve that wrath. And since we are sinners by nature, we see that sin is not just something you do, it is something you are.
Dwelling on past sins in order to wallow in guilt or to revel in nostalgia is never a good idea, but Paul intends neither of these things when reminding readers of their condition before knowing Jesus (Eph. 2:1). Instead, the apostle wants to draw a contrast between life apart from Christ and life in Christ so as to magnify the power and grace of God in salvation. Laying the foundation for this contrast, the apostle continues describing life outside of Jesus in Ephesians 2:2–3, painting the bleakest of pictures for unredeemed sinners.
We were dead apart from Christ indeed (v. 1), but it was a state of spiritual death that did not render us incapable of action. We were all too capable of transgressing that which is holy, “following the course of this world . . . the prince of the power of the air . . . the passions of our flesh” (vv. 2–3). Here Paul reveals the three great powers that enslaved us completely before we knew Jesus and which we must continually rebel against in the course of our growth in holiness — the world, the flesh, and the Devil.
“The course of this world” (v. 2) refers to the ways of culture and society that oppose the Lord. There are ungodly trends in the world — materialism, naturalism, desire for instant gratification, and more — that once ruled all of our passions but are now defeated in Christ (John 16:33; 1 John 5:5). No longer our ruler, the world still appeals to our remaining sin, so we must maintain our guard lest we fall back into bondage.
In ancient times, the term air often referred to the spiritual realm of angels and demons; thus, “the prince of the power of the air” is Satan (Eph. 2:2). This leader of all that opposes God stirs up trouble all over the world, and he even endeavors to infiltrate and disturb the church (4:26–27). The Devil is fierce but easily put to flight when we resist him by the Spirit, as Jesus has triumphed over him (James 4:7; Col. 2:15).
Finally, “the passions of our flesh” and “desires of the body” (Eph. 2:3) refer not to our physical bodies, as if our corporeal form is in itself wicked. After all, God created all things good, including our bodies (Gen. 1:31). The apostle is speaking of our fallen nature, which Christ has subdued. It is a resilient foe, however, that remains until our glorification. We must therefore seek daily to mortify it and deny the sins that seem the most appealing to us (Rom. 6:12–14).
--Voddie Baucham: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil
Dwelling on past sins in order to wallow in guilt or to revel in nostalgia is never a good idea, but Paul intends neither of these things when reminding readers of their condition before knowing Jesus (Eph. 2:1). Instead, the apostle wants to draw a contrast between life apart from Christ and life in Christ so as to magnify the power and grace of God in salvation. Laying the foundation for this contrast, the apostle continues describing life outside of Jesus in Ephesians 2:2–3, painting the bleakest of pictures for unredeemed sinners.
We were dead apart from Christ indeed (v. 1), but it was a state of spiritual death that did not render us incapable of action. We were all too capable of transgressing that which is holy, “following the course of this world . . . the prince of the power of the air . . . the passions of our flesh” (vv. 2–3). Here Paul reveals the three great powers that enslaved us completely before we knew Jesus and which we must continually rebel against in the course of our growth in holiness — the world, the flesh, and the Devil.
“The course of this world” (v. 2) refers to the ways of culture and society that oppose the Lord. There are ungodly trends in the world — materialism, naturalism, desire for instant gratification, and more — that once ruled all of our passions but are now defeated in Christ (John 16:33; 1 John 5:5). No longer our ruler, the world still appeals to our remaining sin, so we must maintain our guard lest we fall back into bondage.
In ancient times, the term air often referred to the spiritual realm of angels and demons; thus, “the prince of the power of the air” is Satan (Eph. 2:2). This leader of all that opposes God stirs up trouble all over the world, and he even endeavors to infiltrate and disturb the church (4:26–27). The Devil is fierce but easily put to flight when we resist him by the Spirit, as Jesus has triumphed over him (James 4:7; Col. 2:15).
Finally, “the passions of our flesh” and “desires of the body” (Eph. 2:3) refer not to our physical bodies, as if our corporeal form is in itself wicked. After all, God created all things good, including our bodies (Gen. 1:31). The apostle is speaking of our fallen nature, which Christ has subdued. It is a resilient foe, however, that remains until our glorification. We must therefore seek daily to mortify it and deny the sins that seem the most appealing to us (Rom. 6:12–14).
--Voddie Baucham: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil
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Ephesians 2:4-9:
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 
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Ephesians 2:7 "But in the ages to come ... "
How often do we preach on that? I think there is a danger of something I call "The Peril of the Immediate." We are living in the framework of the immediate. We live there as much as other men. We are not supposed to. We are to live as men branded for eternity. "In the ages to come... " Look at Elijah. Elijah was told to hide in the cave. He goes in there for three whole years! Most of us can't stand three hours without turning on a radio or TV. Try three days, try three weeks, cutting yourself off from everything external, everything worldly that has been labeled and poisoned by the world systems. We need to think and get things straight. -Leonard Ravenhill |
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It is not by anything we could ever accomplish or attain, it is only by God's grace that we are saved. God's gift to us is Jesus and through his death and resurrection we may have eternal life if we accept this gift. And it is just that, a gift. No matter how much good we do in this world, it will never earn us salvation. It is undeserved and so simplistic and all we have to do to receive salvation is to accept the gift of Jesus.
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From these verses we see the following about grace:
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From these verses we see the following about grace:
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Personally, I believe that only God Himself could conceive the method of achieving righteousness by faith. I believe that natural man, left to himself, would never have conceived such a way of achieving righteousness. To the best of my knowledge, every other major religion requires people to achieve righteousness by doing something. Different religions hold to different requirements, but, in essence, all of them think along this line: “I’ll be righteous if I do these things and don’t do those things.” This means that the Christian faith, if we understand it rightly, is absolutely unique. There is no other religion that even tries to offer righteousness on the basis of grace received through faith alone. But, when you embrace God’s grace, He empowers you to live free from the control of sin. In Romans 6:14, Paul is speaking to people who have received the grace of God: For sin shall not have dominion over you; for you are not under law but under grace. --Derek Prince
We are emphatically told by Scripture that grace and faith are God’s gift. The sovereignty, initiative, and power in salvation originate entirely in God. This does not, however, deny the reality of our own secondary initiative and power in the exercise of grace and faith. It is a gift, but it is a gift to us and to be exercised by us. It is a gift which is now inseparable from our life, and its use by us brings reward. Thus, Rahab’s faith ( Heb 11:31: By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she received the spies with peace”) was manifested in action: the received the spies “with peace.” She protected and defended them out of faith in God.
Legalism is a code of deeds and observances as a means oif justification before God. It substitutes man’s acts for Gods redeeming act in Christ as the means of justification. A false view of justification leads to a belief in immediate judgment and immediate blessing. Where legalism leads to an undue burden on the law, undue consequences are attributed to every act. Legalism ascribes undue powers to man as far as salvation is concerned, and all too little where responsibility is concerned. Adam and Eve claimed they could be their own gods, in terms of the tempters plan (Gen 1:5)., but they soon coupled it with an environmentalism and a lack of responsibility. The environment was to be held guilty of their sin, not themselves. The sociology of legalism is thus little different from the sociology of sin.
Legalism is a code of deeds and observances as a means oif justification before God. It substitutes man’s acts for Gods redeeming act in Christ as the means of justification. A false view of justification leads to a belief in immediate judgment and immediate blessing. Where legalism leads to an undue burden on the law, undue consequences are attributed to every act. Legalism ascribes undue powers to man as far as salvation is concerned, and all too little where responsibility is concerned. Adam and Eve claimed they could be their own gods, in terms of the tempters plan (Gen 1:5)., but they soon coupled it with an environmentalism and a lack of responsibility. The environment was to be held guilty of their sin, not themselves. The sociology of legalism is thus little different from the sociology of sin.
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Ephesians 2:8-9:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. |
God provided us with the most amazing human remedy imaginable—a resource that could continually deal with weakness, difficulties, needs, mistakes, sinful choices, and violations. This resource contains His ability to make up for what we can’t accomplish on our own. It’s called grace. Grace is what takes us into relationship with God initially, and also gives us the ability to have an ongoing connection to Him. Grace sees life through lenses of what God can do for us, rather than the lenses of what we are doing wrong.
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Ephesians 2:10:
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them |
“We have a micro-purpose, something designed exactly for you, that is only for you because before you were ever born, the God of this universe wrote a poem that in Christ Jesus is a masterpiece for good things for you to do And guess what, your poem is just for you. It’s only for you. There is something so unique and special that is just for you. In Christ Jesus, you’re a masterpiece.” -Tim Tebow
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Ephesians 2:11-18:
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. |
In the first paragraph of this passage, Paul piles on all of the negative terms that used to identify his gentile recipients. They were “outsiders.” They were called “uncircumcised heathens,” which would be akin to calling someone an “illegal alien” today. It’s language that’s used intentionally to denigrate others. Not all Jewish people would have described gentiles that way, just as not all US Christians would refer to undocumented immigrants with pejorative labels. But these Ephesian gentiles had probably all heard such language used to describe them more than once in their life.
But not only were they uncircumcised heathen outsiders. Paul writes that they “were living apart from Christ,” “excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel,” “did not know the covenant promises God had made to them,” and were “without God and without hope.” In short, Paul summarizes, they “were far away from God.” We’re used to hearing the general human condition without Christ described as “lost” or “fallen” or “sinful.” But rarely do we hear a particular people described in such ethnic and political terms as “outsiders” who are “excluded from citizenship.” And yet, right here in this letter Paul describes the gentile Ephesians in just this way. Paul doesn’t erase or ignore their ethnic particularity. He addresses it head on.......“But now you have been united with Christ Jesus,” he writes. “Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to God through the blood of Christ.” How does Christ do this? It isn’t by erasing ethnic particularities. Rather, it is by removing the hostility between previously hostile groups in order to make peace between them. “For Christ himself has brought peace to us,” Paul writes. “He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.” -Anabaptist Revisions |
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Ephesians 2:19-22:
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." |
There is unity in faith and a way in which we are meant to be like one another. At the same time, we are each a piece of the building. The stones may be similar, but they are not exactly alike. And those differences matter.
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