Ephesians Lesson 14 of 39 part 5

In our discourse of the Last Supper or the Marriage Feast of the Lamb we said nothing of what Paul by revelation reveals in 1 Corinthians 11 because we've covered much of it elsewhere. And because there's a whole other lesson in the wings dealing with the revelation of it, in more depth. Which we hope to share in the Lord's timing. We still have Philippians and Colossians to post as they are complete at this moment, as they are. But like all others the Lord has finial say on what is posted just as with this study. Now let's go back to Ephesians chapter 2 again, and it looks like we'll be a long time in this chapter, because it's so loaded. We compare it, to Romans chapter 8. We would like to start with verse 3. This is the lifestyle of a person who has never entered into salvation. They are under control of the old Adamic sin nature. Satan is the god of this world to them still whether they know it or not, and so this is what happens:

Ephesians 2:3
"Among whom also we all had our conservation (manner or way of living) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."
Let's go back to Romans, and again to let Paul give us a graphic description of the lost person's frame of mind. Remember at one time that's where we were. Naturally when we believed we were saved, ransomed, redeemed out of it. But for the person who has never been saved, he's still in it and whether they practice it or not is beside the point. God sees they have the potential for it, the old sin nature has the potential for it. Have you ever wondered, how can people do the things they do? We read of the horrible murders, or we hear of the horrible carnage that soldiers will bring upon countries that they're over running, and we wonder, how can they do that. Well because that's just exactly what the old sin nature revels in. The only reason there's not more of it is because society has inhibited it, and kept it under control to a certain degree or we wouldn't have a society. But when society is turned loose without government restraints or enforced morality all that remains is what we call anarchy, and this is what you'll have. Now we hope you've found Romans chapter 3, and let's just start with verse 12. Now this is the manner of living that Paul is referring to in Ephesians chapter 2, out of which everyone of us have come.

Romans 3:12-16
"They are all gone out of the way, they are together (Jew and Gentile religions as institutions) become unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways:"
This sounds like John the Baptist speaking to the Priests (Matthew 3:7, Luke 3:7) as they came for baptism by him while he was at the river Jordan in what was called the wilderness and then Jesus in His many woe's says much the samething (Matthew 12:34-35, 23:27-28, 33). Even Job says the same in chapter 20 verses 14-16 and then the Prophets such as David in Psalm 5:9, 12:3-4, 36:3; Isaiah 59:3 and others so we have the witness from the mouth of two or three witnesses to what Paul is here saying.

Now stop a minute, go all the way to World War II, what is usually the result of war? Destruction, and misery. Someplace we're reading yet the other day of how Germany, as a result of the allied bombing, was totally demolished. Those beautiful cities just reduced to rubble. But that was only the half of it. When the Russians came in from the east they literally raped the German women by the thousands. Now that's war and destruction, and misery. It's the very makeup of this very individual we read about in the preceding verses. If you give that person the license to do, he'll do it. Now reading on with verse 17.

Here we're beginning listen 15 with Romans 3:17.

Romans 3:17
"And the way of peace have they not known:"
A lot of time young people will say, "Why does God sanction war?" God doesn't bring it on, it's the work of the curse. It's the work of mankind in his satanicly inspired sin nature. Its the physical manifestation of a spiritual reality which is taking place in the heavenlies as revealed in Revelation. More of the point is this which the Lord said in this from John 6:63 "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." For when we by His ontological essence hear what the Spirit is saying then we can understand and things through and again John 14:17 "Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." and then in 15:26 "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:" and one more time in 16:13-14 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
Guess that we should reveal this just here because of all that the Lord Jesus is revealing of Himself and the Spirit of Truth and that is this, the first true knowledge of this revelation is by way of the Spirit of Truth which Paul in Romans 8 verse 9 says this: “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” So we're to receive by way of revelation the “EXPLICA'TION” which Webster's 1828 Dictionary reveals as: “n. The act of opening or unfolding. The act of explaining; explanation; exposition; interpretation; as the explication of the parables of our Savior. The sense given by an expositor or interpreter.” Both being the Spirit of Truth as the expositor and interpreter or our Mediator before the Father, who is Christ in His new character. For all that He reveals of Himself from Genesis 1 on is but a physical revelation of His many characters or titles of His ministry toward man.
We could go back to the metaphor of the word being the seed of faith and revelation of Christ from the foundation of the world but wont at this time so that we can now read verse 18.

Romans 3:18
"There is no fear of God before their eyes."
Jesus in the scriptures quoted above reveals who He is and to get the true meaning of them lets look at Psalm 148: 5-6 which says this: "Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass." And as recorded in yesterdays post this is what He said about Himself at the Last Supper through the figurative language of the bread and the blood as wine. Which brought about the fulness of days or the completion of the Age of the Jewish religion as a man made religion which God NO longer had any part in. He Jesus being God in the flesh as the Son of man (Matthew 1:23). Because they the Hebrews had NO fear of God nor did the gentiles at that time because they practiced all kinds of evil and those who literally take the words spoken as literal are still in darkness.

It's a wonder the world has lasted as long as it has isn't it? Now let's go on over to the Book of Galatians chapter 5, and this again describes the life style of the lost person under this sin nature personality given no inhabitation. Now granted, in a society like we've enjoyed up until the last few years we have inhibited this kind of behavior just by simply influencing kids, and teaching them how to behave and so forth. Tomorrow we'll look at Galatians for more information.