referred to The Berean Expositor Vol. 9, pages 51 and 81, or to The Testimony

of the Lord's Prisoner chapter 7.  Ephesians 2:1 does not say what we were

but what we are, the A.V. having translated the present participle ontas

`being', by the past `were' for which there is no justification.  We go back

to the past in verses 2 and 3 where in both verses we are referred to `time

past'.  Here we are on solid ground and know without peradventure that these

two verses speak of our original state before grace found us.

There is a reason why the reference back to `time past' should be

divided under two headings, for verse 2 looks at the external forces that

moulded and influenced our lives, while verse 3 speaks of the internal co -

operating forces that allied themselves with our evil environment and made

our case so hopeless.

Let us see this.

A

In time past.

B

a

age of world.

`according to'

b

Prince of power of air.

C

Sons of disobedience.

A

In times past.

B

a

lust of flesh.

b

Will of flesh and mind.

C

Children of wrath.

Here it will be observed are two points of view.  In the first the

manner of life is called a `walk', in the second it is called a

`conversation'.  In the first, the walk is `according to' external

influences.  In the second, the conversation is `in' the forces that work

within.  The external influences are `the age of this world' and `the Prince

of the authority of the air'.  The internal influences are `the lusts of the

flesh' and the `fulfilling of the desires of the flesh and of the mind'.  The

mighty spirit power that rules the darkness of this world is the influence

`according to' which we once were led, and this spirit is the one who

actually `energizes' those who are called `the sons of disobedience'.  Those

who are actuated by flesh and mind are said to be `by nature' `children of

wrath' like the rest.

The reader who has learned to realize the fulness of Scripture will

readily understand that we have here a far reaching subject if we are to

analyse and differentiate between each of these related subjects.  To give

all the time and space which the subject demands may be outside our power,

but we cannot feel that we shall have discharged the obligations of our

stewardship by leaving matters where they are.  Consequently, though our

comments must be brief we trust they will be of help in enabling us to get a

fairly true picture of what we once were, so that when the Selah of Ephesians

2:4 is faced, we shall the better realize what `quickening Love' has wrought.

`Walk'.  Our past life is likened in verse 2 to a walk, and this word

is used in the Prison Epistles four times to speak of the walk that is evil

and nine times to speak of the walk that is good.  For the moment we are

concerned with the walk that characterized the past and therefore we must

read these four passages together.