world of spiritually dead men. Such is our society and the people in it today. The inhabitants of earth seem to delight in living without God. We are characterized by retreating back into paganism. Paul explains their position before receiving Christ, “Ye were dead in trespasses and sins.” It’s difficult to distinguish between these two terms. Trespass perhaps points to sin as a fall in contrast to sin as a failure. Both denote dis obedience to God, refusal to obey His laws. Such actions and attitudes sever the soul from fellowship with Him. There is always the problem of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Before coming to Christ for salva tion, these converts had once walked according to the course or age of this world. The world, as used here by Paul, refers to the present evil order of things. Life is shaped by the godless standards and aims which result in moral ruin, trespasses and sin where in Paul’s Gentile readers once were walking in their lives, as he gives it to you in Ephesians 2:1. These Ephesians additionally had walked according to the prince of the power of the air which undoubt edly refers to the devil. In Paul’s day, the air was popularly supposed to be the abiding place of evil spirits. They were above the world of men and below the realm of angels. Paul is denoting that the moral atmosphere of any generation of lost men and women is pervaded by the devil. Satan is also described as “the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2 : 1b ) . Th i s shows obstinate opposition to God’s divine will. (Not an unfamiliar thing in this twentieth century!) The ex pression “the sons of disobedience” defines those people who have never come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You see, these are spiritually dead, although they’re physically and mentally alive. Paul underscores the fact that all Chris
power is ours if we trust in Christ, as members of His body. Surely this should quicken our spiritual hope. Christ is declared to be far above all rule, authority, power, dominion and every name that is named. This is not only in this world but also in that which is to come. Paul meant that whatever superhuman power existed, however they might be named, Christ was supreme over all which then existed or might here after exist in any possible future. Christ assumed the place of univer sal rule and authority at the right hand of God. The relationship of Christ to His Church is no less im portant and unique. The Church is declared to be Christ’s body. Church means all individuals in any gener ation who have been born again of the Spirit of God. The Church is a spiritual unity in vital relationship with Jesus Christ. Christ is the source of the Church’s life. He supplies it with strength. He directs its activities and employs it as His agent for the accomplishment of His eternal purpose and work. C hapter S ix A s we look at the second chapter of Ephesians, we find Paul, un der the inspiration of the Holy Spirit beginning his more formal instruc tion. He employs the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus Christ as an illustration of what God has done for believers in raising them from the state of spiritual death, enabling them to live with Christ in heavenly places. Grace is, of course, the source of it all. Man is a complex being. He is commonly described as a combination of body, soul, and spirit. To be spir itually alive, one must be conscious of divine realities of faith, love, and fellowship with God. The individual who has never trusted Christ for sal vation is absolutely spiritually dead. Paul paints a prophetic picture for us in Ephesians 2: Iff. Here is a 28
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