Thoughts From Ephesians 2 - Part 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  Eph. 2:1-3

So, here I am with my wife and 11 grandchildren. Six of them have prayed to receive Christ, just like I did at their age. 5 of them are under the age of 4 and don't understand it yet but are certainly being taught about Jesus in their families. (see video below)

According to Paul, in the beginning of Chapter 2, the current state of these 5 is

1. Dead in their trespasses and sins                                     

2. Following the ways of the world                                    

3. Following the devil who is at work in them                   

4. Disobedient                                                                    

                                  5. Gratifying the cravings of the flesh                                                                 

                                      6. Following the flesh's desires and thoughts

                                      7. Objects of wrath

          Frankly, it's hard to believe that these sweet little kids have been born not into the family of God, but rather into the dark kingdom, the kingdom of the prince of the air and are currently doing his bidding. My son, Toby, did jokingly say about his youngest who I'm holding screaming in the picture because he did not want to do pictures, "He's the only one that needs Jesus." What he was saying is a reflection of how we feel. We think we are all basically good people who just need to get better. The fact is just the opposite; we are born sinners and dead to God and alive to sin and unless we are born again of the Spirit, doomed to a life and eternity with our ruler, Satan. That's a pretty dark view of reality isn't it? That, however, is the reality the Bible teaches.

         I've been talking about my grandchildren but let me personalize it here. I was born, too, in those 7 conditions and had it not been for the grace of God allowing the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to my condition and revealing to me the truth of the Gospel, I would still be following Satan. It's not like I would be going to Satanic rituals, but I would be pursuing a life that would be gratifying my flesh and not following or knowing God, which is all the Devil really cares about. He doesn't care if I worship him on Earth, he just doesn't want me worshipping God.

        The Gospel is the Good News. You can't appreciate good news until you know what the bad news is, and there are few better passages in the Bible explaining the bad news than Eph. 2:1-3. I've said to my kids before, "if you didn't receive Jesus into your life, it would have been better that we never brought you into this world." That sounds harsh but that is reality.