Ephesians 2:1-3: And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience– 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
1. We are not basically good people, but are “sons of disobedience”
Many (most?!) today would say that people are basically good, but we just make bad decisions due to lack of education, genes, or environment. But Ephesians 1:2 calls us “sons of disobedience.” In reality, we are marked a stubborn and persistence disobedience to God—a proud refusal to listen to God or care what He says. We are not ‘basically good people,’ but “sons of disobedience.”
2. We not free, autonomous individuals, but slaves to what is evil
We tend to think of ourselves as free, but in reality, we are enslaved to the ‘world, the flesh, and the Devil.’ We do what the world tells us. We follow the corrupt desires of our flesh and mind. We follow the orders of Satan. None of us are free to always do what is right, good, or holy.
3. We not spiritually alive, but spiritually dead.
Though we are physically alive, we are spiritually dead—until we are reborn and raised to spiritual life in Christ (Eph 2:5). There is a deadness to God that no optimism, pop psychology, drugs, or nice experiences can change. Only God can raise us from the dead and give us spiritual life.
4. We are not on good terms with God, but children of wrath—deserving of God’s holy, just anger and condemnation
God is holy and our sin provokes His righteous anger. Due to our sin, none of us in our fallen state are on good terms with God, but are hostile toward Him. This is our frightful, awful state before the Living God.
5. We are not born innocent, but are ‘by nature’ sinners
We come into world corrupt, twisted, and in need of renewal and renovation. None of us is innocent, but through Christ we be freed from the power of this fallen state.
These are the 5 ways that Ephesians 2:1-3 reshapes how we think of humanity. Such is a truly hopeless state… Thank God that this is not the end of the story: “BUT GOD…” (Eph 2:4-10)
