Ephesians 2:1-3 Podcast
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1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Ephesians 2:1-3)
The Bible teaches we were conceived dead in our transgressions and sins. This means we were born separated from the life of God, with no ability to access Him and His truth.
A lot of people say, "Hey, I wasn't there when Adam chose to rebel against God." That's true, but had you been there you would have made the same choice. I would have, too, probably sooner!
In v.1, the Apostle uses "transgressions and sins" to describe mankind's plight. We are trapped in the clutches of another, and, until we acknowledge our need and cry out to God for help through His Son, we will be trapped in the wasteland of self and sin.
Christianity is the only "religion" which teaches this condition of man. It is known as Original Sin. In v.2, the Apostle tells us that we "followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air." When we were conceived, we were conditioned to conform to "the ways of this world by the ruler of the kingdom of the air."
We were born to be tricked by this world's god, namely Satan. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Satan is described as the "god of this world." You will remember that, according to Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 12, he was cast out of heaven. Before he was named Satan (one who opposes), he was known as Lucifer. He became so impressed with his own beauty, intelligence, power, and position that he began to desire for himself the honor and glory that belonged to God. The sin that corrupted Lucifer was self-generated pride.
Paul calls him "the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient." Satan and his angels, those demonic beings aligned against God, are constantly manipulating mankind to turn away from God's definition of things to a distorted definition which brings with it corruption and death.
On the other hand, the God of truth, the God of the Bible, is always trying to reveal to us the truth and to set us free from the bonds of the evil one. From the beginning of time, God has given man the option to choose His way or that of Satan who appeals to our selfishnesses.
In v.3, we see that "gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts" is the tactic of the Devil. The flesh is our basic human nature which God created. Yet, the god of this word, Satan, has lured mankind into crossing over into his controlled domain, taking the normal appetites that God has given us and twisting the way we go about satisfying them.
At the end of v.3 we learn that as a result "we were by nature deserving of wrath." The wrath of God is best described in Romans 1:24,26,28 as God allowed us to go our own way. The choices we make will have consequences. If we make a wrong decision it hurts us. God's wrath is designed to make us realize that we are violating His definition of things, the truth. And, when we defy the truth, we will suffer the consequences. For example, when we defy the laws of gravity and try to walk off a ten floor building, it will not end up well.
When we ignore God's culture, the Devil and his cohorts, will be there to alter the quality of our lives, and, if we are not born again, alter our ultimate destiny.
