2 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,
Verses two and three show how people operate in their non-Christian condition.
2 in which you once walked
“In which” indicates that the Ephesians walked in the sphere of transgressions and sins (2:1). This was the sphere of their behavior. The idea of dead men walking is incongruous to us, but to God it is clear.
The word “walked” comes from two words—to walk and around. The idea is to live as a course of life. The course of life as non-believers is to live in transgressions and sins.
according to the course of this world,
Unbelievers follow the standards of this world system, which are alien to God. The word “course” connotes ideas of thoughts, maxims, aims, aspirations, or hopes of the present value system.
The “world” is the fundamental belief system of unbelievers, the atmosphere of values that they hold. The word “world” carries the idea of viewpoint. Here the viewpoint is that of Satan; it is his order of philosophy and way of doing things. As non-Christians we followed his plans, purposes, pursuits, and pleasures.
PRINCIPLE:
Non-Christians hold to the idea that human viewpoint is more important than divine viewpoint.
APPLICATION:
The point here is that non-Christians hold that human viewpoint is more important than divine viewpoint. They do not care what God thinks or what His values are. They are indifferent to God because they have another viewpoint and other values. There is both overt and subtle rebellion against God in this thinking.
Humanism places man’s viewpoint above God’s viewpoint. Secularism tries to marginalize God and His Word. Man’s belief that the material, whether material things or material philosophy, is what is real. Spiritual things are not real to him. Some deem that money or sex is the highest good. This is the course of this present world.
