“In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” Ephesians 2:2
”I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7
In highlighting the saving work of Christ, the apostle Paul reminded the Ephesian believers of who they were before they came to Christ, what happened to them when they came to Christ, and what they would eventually become because they came to Christ. In effect, he outlined their spiritual past, present, and future.
Regarding their past, Paul described their pre-conversion days as having walked “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air” (v.2). Though they did not realize it at the time, they were blinded by the prince of darkness. They were unknowingly guided by a sinister, unseen adversary who led them down a certain path in which they fulfilled all “the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature, children of wrath, just as the others” (v.3). It was (and still is) a path of depravity, darkness, and disobedience to God’s laws (v.2). It promotes covetousness, arrogance, rebellion, and at times, various forms of perversion. It shows no regard for the things of God. It has a penchant for the morose, the macabre, and anything opposed to what is good, holy, and true, manifesting itself in different ways. Its influence is reflected in culture through the media and communicated by subtle and not so subtle innuendos in music, movies, and the world’s extensive entertainment industry. It is driven by advertising, the clothing industry, and other facets of society. It is pervasive and permeates nearly every aspect of daily life, and its effects are seen everywhere.
Children, who seem so innocent in their younger years, begin to show evidence of a steady diet of the world’s attitudes and underlying philosophies as they grow older. It is a broad path, and one that the majority of people travel on. The Word of God declares that it is a path that leads to destruction (Matt. 7:13), and unless a person turns from this course, God’s Word declares it will ultimately end in spiritual disaster.
Paul describes “the course of this world” in a harrowing way. Anyone who has come from a similar background can certainly identify with these Ephesian believers. They were so desensitized by sin that they were “past feeling,” and they were given over to lewdness, to work “all uncleanness with greediness” (Eph. 4:17–19). What a horrible condition!
In Titus 2:12, we also read that the grace of God teaches us to deny two things: ungodliness and worldly lusts. The first accurately characterizes the Ephesians before they came to Christ. However, the other—worldly lusts—depicts the other side of the coin. These lusts are contrary to what some may think. Instead, they manifest themselves not in lives of debauchery, but rather in worldly ambition and a craving for success, riches, fame, and fortune. In some ways, they look quite respectable. But underneath a thin veneer of respectability lies the underlying evidence of a “me first” attitude, fueled by the same selfish and sinful spirit that characterizes the person whose life is “in the gutter.” After all, gutters can be in two places: down low along the curb or up high along the roof. Without Christ, no matter what a person’s position in life is, whether good or bad, life can indeed be a life in the gutter.
Apart from the Lord, this is the plight of men and women who do not know the Savior. As Paul reminded Titus, people outside of Christ can be “living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another” (Titus 3:3), living impure lives, and stepping on and over anyone who gets in their way. They were walking according to the course of this world, before they found the Savior, by whom they were wonderfully and miraculously saved, to the glory of God. If it were not for His mercy and grace, and the ministry and testimony of faithful servants like Paul, they, like us, would have continued to walk according to the course of this world on a path that would have led to their demise.
For the Ephesians, everything changed when a man with an unimpressive appearance and contemptible speech (2 Cor. 10:10) boldly proclaimed the life-giving message of the Cross. Through the power of the Word, they went from darkness to light in a moment, from walking a downhill course to following the good Shepherd of the sheep. Fortunately for these Ephesians, this dedicated and faithful servant named Paul was God’s ambassador, used by Him to lead them off this dreadful course. He stepped into their path and pointed them to Another who said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). This forever changed their lives, leading them onto a much better course, one that granted spiritual life and blessing from the God of Heaven.
What did this mean for them, and for us who are no longer on this course? First, it means that all Christians have been “raised up” spiritually and are “seated” with Christ. In Christ, God views us as seated with Him in heaven (2:6). Second, it means that we can look forward to a future time when we will be on display as a testimony to the magnificent grace and mercy of God (2:7). Until then, all who know and love the Lord are to do the good works to which they have been appointed (Eph. 2:10).
What a contrast there is between the course of this world and God’s course for us. One focuses on self and resists the Lord, whereas the other lives for the Savior, delights to do His will, and yields to Him. The world’s course resembles the raven sent out by Noah after the flood, feeding on the “dead” things of this world. In contrast, the believer’s course resembles the dove, seeking and feeding on what is clean. Furthermore, the world’s course is wide and leads to destruction, while the believer’s course is narrow and leads to everlasting life (Matt. 7:13–14). More than simply a path leading to a glorious future, it is a path overseen by the Bishop and Shepherd of our souls (1 Pet. 2:25), who guides us “by the skillfulness of His hands” (Ps. 78:72).
God has appointed a unique path for all of us in Christ, a personal path that leads to glory and is tailor-made. David wrote: “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them” (Ps. 139:16). God has planned all our days in advance. He knows the beginning and the end of our days, and He knows the path we will take through life. Consequently, after we have come to know Him, we need to live for Him by faith and serve Him acceptably with reverence and godly fear. We must also be aware that it can be easy, even as believers, to revert to living according to the course of this world instead of living by God’s Word. Don’t do it! Paul understood this principle when he told the Ephesian elders that he might finish his course with joy (Acts 20:24). Indeed, what he hoped for came to pass, as he later gratefully proclaimed from his Roman prison that he had finished his course with joy (2 Tim. 4:7).
As believers in Christ, we recognize that we have been divinely redirected from one course to another, which Scripture calls the “path of the just” (Prov. 4:18; Isa. 26:7). It is a path that “shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Prov. 4:18). As we reflect on this, we should make every effort to avoid being influenced by those who walk according to the course of this world. As James 1:27 says, we are to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world.” Because our lives are different now, we are to walk in newness of life. We are to follow the steps of our Savior and walk as He walked, in a way pleasing to Him who called us by His own glory and virtue. May we always remain grateful for the change of course that has taken place in our lives and for how He has redirected our steps and our eternal destiny.