The chapter divisions here are unfortunate as it detracts from the fact that Paul is still continuing the theme of the whole letter. He now begins to explain in some detail how the great plan outlined in chapter 1 is fulfilled.
In order to know where we are going we need to know where we are coming from. Without Christ we were "dead in our transgressions and sins". Our past life did not benefit us, it did not do us any good at all.
We follows the ways of the world, which are actually the ways of Satan. Many people may say there is no God and deny the existence of a spiritual realm at all, but in reality the "ruler of the kingdom of the air" is at work in them. The spiritual realm is a reality.
It is possible that the "you" and "us" in these verses refer to "you Gentiles" and "we Jews". If this is the case then verse 3 would have been devastating in Paul's day, for he is saying that the Jews were just as disobedient and sinful as the Gentiles. They lived lives according to the flesh, gratifying the thoughts and feelings of the flesh (human nature). So, just like everyone else, the Jews were by nature objects of wrath. Ie in their own right they deserved to receive God's righteous judgement.
In order to know where we are going we need to know where we are coming from. Without Christ we were "dead in our transgressions and sins". Our past life did not benefit us, it did not do us any good at all.
We follows the ways of the world, which are actually the ways of Satan. Many people may say there is no God and deny the existence of a spiritual realm at all, but in reality the "ruler of the kingdom of the air" is at work in them. The spiritual realm is a reality.
It is possible that the "you" and "us" in these verses refer to "you Gentiles" and "we Jews". If this is the case then verse 3 would have been devastating in Paul's day, for he is saying that the Jews were just as disobedient and sinful as the Gentiles. They lived lives according to the flesh, gratifying the thoughts and feelings of the flesh (human nature). So, just like everyone else, the Jews were by nature objects of wrath. Ie in their own right they deserved to receive God's righteous judgement.
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