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NASB | Ephesians 2:2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God]. |
Bible Question: What are the three most deadly fashions of today, in your experience? Eph 2:2 Amplified |
Bible Answer: Dan58: In reference to your question on Ephesian 2:2: Really, Dan, have things changed all that much since Paul penned his letter to the Ephesians? Oh, admittedly the outer trappings have changed a great deal with the "progress" (a misnomer?) of civilization. Modern devices have given us creature comforts undreamed of in Paul's time. But they have had no effect whatever in obliterating sin or in changing man's proclivity to wallow in its filth and stench. Now as then the unregenerated man is controlled by the world, by Satan and the sin nature. I would not presume to enumerate any three "fashions" of the world as being any more deadly than all the rest. Sin is sin, and so long as man rejects God's offer of regeneration, he will remain in its vicious clutches and continue on his way to destruction. Notice what Paul says in the verse before the verse under discussion: "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins." And dead is what man is and dead is what he will remain, unless he responds in faith to the Gospel call and is regenerated to life in Christ Jesus. He cannot lift himself from the mire. He will never be able to "evolve" to a life of bliss. He will never be able to institute political, social or economic reforms that will insure him of escape from death and alienation from God. He is powerless to save himself. For the man entrapped in the powerful jaws of sin, there will never be a brave new world outside of Christ. So today, Dan, man is in no better condition than he has ever been since Adam and Eve disobeyed God. He is in no position to challenge God or to bargain with Him. Thus man's predicament is exactly the same as it was the day Paul wrote the words of Ephesians 2:2. His words are as fresh and as true and as relevant today as they were when the ink was still wet on his scroll. --Hank |