We move from the Ephesians chapter 2 overview to verses 1-2, where it is revealed how we, once dead in our trespasses, were made alive in Christ, breaking free from the dominion of “.” This passage unveils the astonishing reality of our salvation.
Ephesians 2: 1 – 10
1 At one time you were dead in your sins and evil actions, 2 living your lives according to the ways of the world, under the control of the devil,* whose spirit is at work in those who disobey God. 3 All of us were once like that, our behaviour determined by the desires of our sinful human nature and our evil way of thinking. Like everyone else, in our nature, we were children of anger.*
4 But God in his generous mercy, because of the amazing love he had for us 5 even while we were dead in our sins, has made us alive together with Christ. Trusting in him has saved you! 6 He raised us up with Christ, and in Christ Jesus seated us with him in heaven, 7 so that in all eternity to come he could demonstrate the amazing extent of his grace in showing us kindness through Christ Jesus. 8 For you’ve been saved by grace through trusting in him—it’s not through yourselves, it’s the gift of God! 9 This has nothing to do with human effort, so don’t be proud of yourselves. 10 We’re the product of what God does, created in Christ Jesus to do good, which God already planned that we should do.
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Then and Now
Then – You
1 “At one time you were”
Stepping through verses 1 -10, we can see Paul start to unpack everything he outlined in chapter 1. He will do this with particular reference to the believer’s relationship to it before and after being in Christ (Him). He will begin by addressing the Gentiles (“you” or you plural—y’all) as a group.
Zombies (The living dead)
“dead in your sins and evil actions,”
Notice how death and sin go together. This puts pay to the idea that sin is just our mistakes. God is not overreacting here. We cannot trivialise sin. This is not God descending into barbarism. We know from the Garden of Eden that we were made to reflect God. Both male and female are His image. He is the source of life, true joy, peace, hope and love. Rejecting all that leaves nothing but death to be reflected. When we don’t choose God we, by definition, choose death and corruption. The fact that it does not feel like death is simply a reflection that we prefer to delude ourselves and be deceived. We cannot reflect corruption and life at the same time.
We cannot follow a path of rebellion (sin) in opposition to the path of life, and expect life. How can we expect life if we actively repel against the source of life? If we are not doing what we are made to do, by definition, we are dead. Sin is not just us being fallible it is terminal. If we turn away from the source of life then, by definition, we are choosing to turn to death. Life without God is not living. As soon as we don’t choose God this is a sign that we are choosing corruption and death.
This is the state of the whole human race. This is not pessimistic; it is good news because we now have a diagnosis. With a correct diagnosis, we can treat the disease.
The Road Y’all Used To Travel
2. “living your lives according to the ways of the world [ or the Present Age], under the control of the devil [ The Greek here literally says, “the ruler of the power of the air.” – Ed.],* whose spirit is at work in those who disobey God.”
This verse introduces us to two key elements of Paul’s message to believers:
- Two distinct ages. Places in time and space. You could even call them different dimensions.
And
- The Power of the Air. The Unseen Ruler of the present age.
Two Ages
“ways of the world” [ or the Present Age]
To Paul, there are two ages.
- This present age and the age to come.
- This present age is the age of choice.
The coming age is the age when God sets all things right. But it is not as simple as one or the other. Because, through Jesus, for those of us who are in Him, the age to come has broken through (More on that to come).
Which age shall we live in?
If we choose this age we choose the path of death.
If we choose the age to come we choose the path of life, where all things will be put right.
However, we do not have to choose. Through Jesus, we can live in the new age even though we still live in this present age because Jesus has defeated the powers of this world.
The Power of The Air
The Power of The Air: In Step With Destruction
This should be very disturbing! Paul is saying that by using our neighbours as the benchmark to live by the world’s standard or use it as our guide for living, we were travelling on the road to death. When we are using the world’s standard as our guide for living we are, actually, keeping in step with destruction. Because that path is under, for the time being, the control of a spirit that is not God’s. Focusing on this power is ideologically and practically focusing on all that is not what our God stands for. Thus, dedicating ourselves to everything that is not what He wants for us.
It is ok to have nice things. But we should consider whatever we have in deference to our journey with God. I admit that is not an easy thing to do. But if we choose to travel towards life, God’s wisdom will be our guide. Our GPS as it were.
The Power of The Air: Not Reflecting God
We are made to reflect God. Doing anything else is not only a poor imitation but deprives us of the fullness of all we are made for. Therefore, if we are not concentrating on life in Him we must, by default, be concentrating on “the power of the air”. Concentrating on “the power of the air” means that we are set on the spirit that is, even now, at work among those whose whole lives consist of disobeying God. Most disturbingly and painfully, of all of God’s creation, especially humanity is heading for decay and death.
The Power of The Air as a Ruler
We have all become aware of this at some time or other. We have all said, “There was something in the air” and everybody knows we are not talking about the weather. That is likely because it was, “the power of the air”. But we are not talking about a one-off erie experience here. When people relentlessly choose Not to go God’s way they are doing much more than just going the wrong way. They are potentially unleashing “the ruler of the power of the air”. “The power of the air,” is “at work in those who” live their lives consistently disobeying God.” “The power of the air” has a “ruler” and that ruler takes a pretty horrible vengeance on the world and humanity.
The Power of The Air: Not To Be Feared
I believe in the devil and I have no problems believing in demons. Christians trying to deny them just confuses me. I don’t understand the fear associated with them, or even with the subject itself.
Recognising that there are a lot of scary movies about the devil and demons is not an admission that there is a correlation between the movies and the devil and demons of the bible. I don’t understand how if we love Jesus and fear God what is the to fear from anything that is not God? In Jesus we have all His authority, how is there any room left to be afraid of anything else, particularly to do with the spiritual?
The Power of The Air – Its Scope
But the “power of the air” is something way more than just the devil or demons. The ‘power of the air” takes in all earthly kingdoms and civil authorities that refuse to acknowledge God’s sovereignty. It takes in all the lies of the ideologies of those who want to enslave others to a way of life that opposes nature and rebels against God’s wisdom. It shows itself in legislation that puts children at risk and tries to remove them from the protection of those who love them. As well as more blatant evils like all forms of forced oppression, human slavery and trafficking, hate crimes devaluing and diminishing people, trying to control the narrative on such things for personal gain and all forms of illicit sex. The crime is that those who go by the name of Christ, Christians are not only not immune but all too often, perpetrators.
“The power of the air” is also misinformation within the Christian community. Things like: it is possible to be a Christian and prioritise things or the world over Christ; that you have to love yourself before you can love others; that you only have to be a good person to be saved and it is ok for you not to be constantly educating yourself in our faith.
These things are things we should be concerned about far more than the scariness of the devil and demons. We may only be able to do a little about most things but what little we can do, we should. Every little bit helps to bring about the kingdom of God and we certainly can control our understanding of our faith. This alone would stop much of the power of the air in its tracks.
The Power of The Air – A Study
This is a significant subject. If you wish to do further study, you can go to:
The Bible Project classroom Module 6
Use the Dropdown menu for the Teacher Notes on The Powers – Session 16 – 18
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Questions:
- Paul teaches that we live in the overlap between this age and the age to come and that Jesus is already reigning as King. Is this a new idea for you or not? How do you experience the reality of “this present” or “dark age” in your life now?
- Every day we are participating in one of two creations: one that is passing away or one that has begun but is not yet fully realized. How do you experience or participate in the reality of the “not yet” or “age to come” in your life now?
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1English: Free Bible Version Provided by: Free Bible Ministry, Inc. and open.bible, licensed under CC BY ND Published:
*2:3. The Greek is literally, “Children in nature of anger.” Following the previous thought about human nature, this could mean we are “naturally angry” or rebellious towards God. Or we could view ourselves as the object of divine anger.
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