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“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (Matthew 10:1–4 ESV)

We continue our profile of the Twelve Apostles. Today’s study concerns the Apostle James, the Son of Zebedee and the brother of the Apostle John. James was a member of Jesus’ inner circle of disciples; along with Peter and John. James, Zebedee’s son, is not to be confused with James, brother of Jesus or James, son of Alphaeus. “Later Christian tradition called him “James the Greater,” explains commentator Chris Kugler.

The first appearance of James in Scripture is recorded in Matt 4:21. Jesus called him and his brother John to become disciples. Each of the Synoptic Gospels identify James as an early disciple of Jesus (Matt 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:10–11). James would become one of the disciples of Jesus’ inner circle, along with Peter and John (e.g., Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:33; 17:1-8).

Mark 1:20 records that James and John left their father with “the hired men” or “servants.” James and John may have been part of an affluent family.

Luke 5:10 describes James and John as Peter’s “partners” (κοινωνοὶ, koinōnoi), suggesting the three of them may have worked together in a fishing business. Jesus’ choice to call Andrew, Peter, James, and John makes sense in understanding they all knew one another and worked together.

Mark 3:17 records that Jesus gave James and John the name ‘Boanērges,’ which means ‘sons of thunder.’ Commentators speculate that this epithet hints at the hot temper that the sons of Zebedee. Support for this view is taken from Luke 9:54, which records that when some Samaritans refused to receive Jesus into their town, James and John asked Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

Finally, in Mark 10:35–37 James and John ask Jesus if they can rule next to Him in His kingdom. Jesus responds by asking, “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38 NIV). Jesus may have been alluding to James’ martyrdom by Agrippa I around ad 44 (Acts 12:1-2).

“James remained a faithful disciple. James the Greater had the distinction of being the first Apostolic martyr in Christian history. James was not the first Christian martyr. The first martyr, of course, was Stephen (Acts 7:54-60), but the first of the Twelve, the first martyred Apostle, was James in the year 44 A.D. James was martyred during a Jewish persecution led by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1-5), which was the occasion for Peter’s imprisonment right after James had been executed. So, James is remembered as being the first of the Apostolic martyrs in church history,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

James life as a disciple/apostle of Jesus may not have been lengthy, but he was faithful to the Lord unto death. We may not experience martyrdom like James, but we are live as faithful martyrs, or witnesses, of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Soli deo Gloria!    

“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (Matthew 10:1–4 ESV)

We continue our profile of the Twelve Apostles. Today’s study concerns the Apostle Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. While much has been written about Simon Peter, comparatively little is known about his brother, Andrew. What do the Scriptures reveal about this man who served the Lord Jesus while in his brother’s shadow?

Andrew first appears in the Gospels as a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:35, 40). After hearing John say, referring to Jesus, “Look, there is the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36), Andrew and another unnamed disciple followed Jesus and stayed with him for a day (John 1:36–39). Andrew then told his brother, Simon Peter, that he had found the Messiah and brought Simon to Jesus (John 1:40–42). What a blessing it is for the church to have disciples like Andrew.

Andrew faded then into the background, and his brother came into prominence. Whenever the relationship of the two is mentioned, Andrew is always described as the brother of Simon Peter and never the opposite (Matt. 4:18; Mark 1:16; John 1:40; 6:8). However, Andrew is often mentioned without reference to his brother (Mark 1:29; 3:18; 13:3; John 12:22). Andrew’s and Simon Peter’s father was named John (Matt. 16:17; John 1:42; 21:15–17), a common name in the first century. Andrew’s hometown was Bethsaida (John 1:44), a village on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.

“The Gospel of John mentions disciples being with Jesus (2:2; 4:2), and it is likely that Andrew was one of that early group. Evidently, however, he returned to his activity as a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, where he shared a house with Peter and his family in Capernaum (Matt. 4:18–20; Mark 1:16–18, 29–33),” explains commentator Walter Elwell.

“While they were fishing, Andrew and Peter received a definite call to follow Jesus and become those who fish for people. From among the disciples of Jesus a group of 12 were later specially chosen as apostles. Andrew is always listed among the first four named, along with Peter and two other brothers, John and James (Mt 10:2–4; Lk 6:13–16; Acts 1:13).”

Andrew is specifically named three other times in the Gospels. These include the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:8–9), when certain Greeks came to Philip, asking to see Jesus (John 12:20–22), and when there were those who privately questioning Jesus on the Mt of Olives (Mark 13:3–4).

Andrew was present when Jesus appeared to His disciples following His resurrection (Matt. 28:16; Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-53; John 20:19, 24-31; 21:1-14). Luke mentioned Andrew being a part of the disciples who were present at the ascension of Jesus and on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-14). The Apostle Paul referred to Andrew as one of the Twelve who witnessed the resurrection of Jesus (I Cor. 15:5).

While there are many traditions and speculations about Andrew’s post-biblical ministry, Andrew is a disciple who was content to minister in the background. While he was eclipsed by his brother in ministerial prominence, there is no reference to Andrew being jealous or resentful of either Simon Peter, or the Lord Jesus, for God’s purposeful sovereignty in the apostle’s life. Andrews serve where and how the Lord called him to serve.

Soli deo Gloria!

“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (Matthew 10:1–4 ESV)

We continue our profile of the Twelve Apostles with Simon Peter. Our study of Peter will be the most extensive. Today, we examine his leadership among the Twelve and the church.  

“The prominence of Simon Peter in the Gospels and Acts cannot be disputed. While some have attempted to attribute this to his leadership role in the later church, there is no basis for that in the text of the NT. From the very beginning Simon attained preeminence above the others. In the lists of the Twelve just mentioned, Simon’s name always appears first, and in Matthew 10:2 it introduces his name as “the first.” Moreover, the Twelve are often designated “Peter and those with him” (Mark 1:36; Luke 9:32; 8:45),” explains commentator Walter Elwell.

Throughout the Gospels, Peter acted and spoke on behalf of the other disciples. For example, at the Transfiguration it is Peter who wanted to erect tents (Mark 9:5), and he alone had sufficient faith to attempt walking on the water (Matt. 14:28–31). It is Peter who asks the Lord to explain his teaching on forgiveness (Matt. 18:21) and parables (Matt. 15:15; Luke 12:41) and who speaks the disciples’ minds in Matthew 19:27, “Behold, we have left everything and followed you; what’s in it for us?”

The collectors of the temple tax came to Peter as leader of the disciples (Matt. 17:24). As a member of the inner circle (with James and John, possibly Andrew in Mark 13:3), Peter was often alone with Jesus: the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:37), at the Transfiguration (Mark 9:1-2) and at Gethsemane (Mark 14:33; Matt. 26:37).

Additionally, Jesus asks Peter and John to prepare the Passover meal (Luke 22:1-8; Mark 14:37; Matt. 26:40) and directs His rebuke to Peter as representing the others (“Could ye not watch with me one hour?” Mark 14:37-38). Finally, the message of the angel at the tomb as recorded in Mark 16:7 said, “Go your way, tell his disciples and Peter.” Certainly Peter held a very special place among the Twelve.

“The portrait of Peter that comes through all four accounts pictures him as impulsive, often rash; he is the first to act and speak his mind and was typified by his enthusiasm for everything in which he had a part,” explains Elwell.

“Peter was certainly one who “rushed in where angels fear to tread.” However, this very trait aligns him with all of us and may be one of the major reasons why he becomes the representative disciple throughout the Gospels.”

“While many more things could be said to explain Peter’s prominence among Christ’s Apostles, the points outlined above compel us to focus on a common theme: the redemption and transformation that comes by faith in the risen Lord Jesus Christ despite our own weakness,” concludes Dr. Matthew A. Dudreck, associate professor of New Testament at Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Fla.

Soli deo Gloria!

“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (Matthew 10:1–4 ESV)

We begin our profile of the Twelve Apostles with Simon Peter. Our study of Peter will be the most extensive. Today, we examine his conversion and call to ministry.

Peter and Andrew, were disciples of John the Baptist (John 1:35–40). Andrew told Simon Peter, “We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41). Peter’s conversion is presupposed in John 1:42, where Andrew brought Simon to Jesus and there received a new name. There are three separate episodes in the Gospels in which Simon is called. These overlap with three episodes in which he is given the name “Cephas” (“Peter,” which means “rock”) by Jesus.

The Gospel of John places Peter’s call to serve in Judea where John the Baptist was baptizing. The synoptic Gospels have two different scenes. The first call takes place at the Sea of Galilee (Mark 1:16–20; Matt. 4:18–22). Jesus is walking along the shore and sees Peter and Andrew along with James and John casting their nets into the sea. At this time he calls them to become “fishers of men.”

Luke then expands this into a fishing scene (Luke 5:1–11), in which the disciples have fished all night and caught nothing. However, at Jesus’ command they lower their nets and catch a great catch of fish. The amount of fish is so great that the boat begins to sink. Jesus said that from now on they will “catch men.” As a result, they leave everything and follow him.

The second episode involving Peter’s call (and his new name) is Jesus’ choice of the Twelve upon the mountain (Mark 3:13–19). In the list, Simon is surnamed Peter. The last occurrence regarding Peter’s new name is found in Matthew 16:17–19, in connection with Peter’s confession of Christ at Caesarea Philippi.

“The word for “Peter,” Petros, means a small stone (John 1:42). Jesus used a play on words here with Petra, which means a foundation boulder (cf. Matt. 7:24–25). Since the NT makes it abundantly clear that Christ is both the foundation (Acts 4:11–12; 1 Cor. 3:11) and the head (Eph. 5:23) of the church, it is a mistake to think that here He is giving either of those roles to Peter. There is a sense in which the apostles played a foundational role in the building of the church (Eph. 2:20), but the role of primacy is reserved for Christ alone, not assigned to Peter. So Jesus’ words here are best interpreted as a simple play on words in that a boulder-like truth came from the mouth of one who was called a small stone. Peter himself explains the imagery in his first epistle: the church is built of “living stones” (1 Pet. 2:5) who, like Peter, confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Christ himself is the “cornerstone” (1 Pet. 2:6–7),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

We will conclude our brief profile of Peter by examining his place among the Twelve Disciples/Apostles. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!   

“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (Matthew 10:1–4 ESV)

We begin our profile of the Twelve Apostles with Simon Peter. Our study of Peter will be the most extensive. Today, we begin with his background.

Peter was raised in bilingual Galilee. John 1:44 says that the home of Andrew (his brother) and Peter was Bethsaida. The exact location of Bethsaida is difficult to place archaeologically. The only known site is east of the Jordan River in the district called Gaulanitis. However, John 12:21 places Bethsaida in Galilee. It is possible that the Apostle John is reflecting the popular use of the term “Galilee” rather than the legal one.

Peter and Andrew had a fishing business centered in Capernaum (Mark 1:21, 29) and were partners with James and John (Luke 5:10). It is also likely that they intermittently continued in their business while Jesus’ disciples (John 21:1–8). It may have been that the disciples did leave the practice of their fishing businesses to follow Christ, but kept the tools of their trade and returned to their trades when necessary. Luke 18:28 occurs in the context of leaving their homes but obviously is not meant in an absolute sense.

They certainly did not abandon their families, as evidenced by Peter, who returned to his home at the end of each tour. The New Testament tells us that Peter was married. In Mark 1:29–31 Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, who perhaps was living in Peter’s home. In fact, it is possible that his home became Jesus’ headquarters in Galilee (Matthew 8:14).

1 Corinthians 9:5 (ESV) says, “Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?” It appears that Peter’s wife accompanied him in his missionary endeavors.

“The Apostle Peter is the only other Apostle who can be said to be Paul’s equal in terms of significance for the history of the early church. His given name was Simon (Matt. 4:18; Mark 1:16; Luke 5:4), but he would become most well-known as Petros, the Greek translation of the Aramaic nickname Cephas (meaning “rock”), given to him by Jesus (Matt. 16:18). His prominence in the early church is anticipated by his special naming by Jesus and would develop in light of his association with the church at Rome (1 Peter 5:13),” explains Dr. Matthew A. Dudreck is associate professor of New Testament at Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Fla.

Peter’s background suggests that he was just a regular person; not unlike you and me. However, the Lord Jesus Christ used him in significant ways; just as the Lord uses us.

More to come. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (Matthew 10:1–4 ESV)

Today we return to our study of the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 10 begins with the listing of the Twelve Apostles. In the text, the twelve are also called disciples. What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle, or are they one and the same?

A disciple (μαθητής; mathetes) is a pupil or a follower. Jesus’ disciples were close students who not only listened to His teachings but also imitated His character. An apostle (ἀπόστολος; apostolos) was a special messenger of Jesus. Of Jesus’ many followers (Acts 1:15), these twelve disciples became the first apostles.

“The Greek word apostolos designates an authorized representative or emissary whose world has the authority of the sender (2 Cor. 8:23). Here the Twelve receive authority to do exactly what Jesus has been doing,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Jesus gave the twelve authority (ἐξουσία; exousia) which is the right to rule or to have control over a domain. In this context, the domain Jesus gave the twelve was not political but rather spiritual.

Jesus also gave them authority to cast out unclean spirits or demons. Unclean spirits (πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτος; pneuma akathaartos) were/are evil and supernatural beings who oppose God and His people. He also gave the twelve the power to heal every sickness and weakness.  

“Jesus delegated his power and authority to the apostles to show clearly that he and his kingdom were sovereign over the physical and spiritual realms, the effects of sin, and the efforts of Satan. This was an unheard of display of power, never before seen in all redemptive history, to announce Messiah’s arrival and authenticate him plus his apostles who preached his gospel. This power was a preview of the power Christ will exhibit in his earthly kingdom, when Satan will be bound (Rev. 20) and the curse on physical life curtailed (Isa. 65:20–25),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

The sending of the Twelve Apostles was the answer to Jesus’ prayer (Matt.9:38). They would become the first laborers of Christ to be sent into His harvest.

“Jesus first commands His disciples to pray to God to send workers, and then He immediately sends these same men out to announce the near approach of God’s kingdom and to exert its power over evil,” states Dr. Sproul.

What follows will be brief biographical sketches of each apostle. Tomorrow’s profile will be the Apostle Peter. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—“ (Ephesians 2:4–5 (ESV)

I threw my phone out of the window, I’m so over it
Weight on my shoulders, every day another stone to lift
I’m standing at the ledge
My foot’s about to slide
What if it takes the fall for me to learn to fly
I try to run from what I’ve done
And it cost me everyone, all it left me was feeling numb.

Sunrise stayed up ’til the morning
Eyes stay bloodshot from the smoking
Another round and I’m locked and loaded
Faith has faded
Living on the edge one foot in the coffin
Lord knows I don’t pray too often
Knees down when the devil come calling
Ain’t no saving.

A dead man walking.
A dead man walking.

I am not a fan of country music, so it may surprise you that I am quoting lyrics from a song by country rap/country rock singer and composer Jelly Roll (Jason DeFord). The lyrics to his song Dead Man Walking, even in part, are compelling and honest. They are also devoid of any hope; especially when he says Ain’t no saving a dead man walking.

Ephesians 2:5 says otherwise. Even though the Apostle Paul acknowledged that sinners are dead men walking (Ephesians 2:1-3), there is hope for a resurrection. That hope is solely found in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

“Even when we were dead in our trespasses, (God) made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—.“ God the Father made deadened sinners alive. The phrase made us alive together (συζωοποιέω; syzoopoieo) describes an active work by God at a particular point in time in a particular sinner’s life.

This new life joins every believer. There are no other options. It is found solely in Jesus Christ. He alone is the sinner’s redeemer, reconciler and justifier (Romans 3:21-26).

This is because Jesus Christ took upon Himself the unbeliever’s sin while on the cross and suffered the just and rightful wrath of God the Father on the sinner’s behalf. In exchange, by grace alone, through faith alone, the believing sinner is declared righteous with the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ alone (Rom. 4; 2 Cor. 5:21).  Jesus Christ is the object of saving faith. Jesus Christ is the only hope for dead men walking. Jesus Christ is the only Savior.

God the Father’s motivation for sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to this fallen world to save dead people walking was His sovereign grace alone. It was His unmerited favor. God did not give sinners what we deserve but rather what we do not deserve. This is why believers in Christ praise Him for His glorious grace (Eph. 1:3-14).

Consider the lyrics from another song. It’s also entitled Dead Man Walking. Its composer is Jeremy Camp.

Freedom was something I never found
Trying to find six feet underground
Under the weight of all of my sin
Fighting the fight that I couldn’t win
Then You rescued me
Now I can breathe.

I look for the words but cannot explain
A new kind of love ran into my veins
You are the key to all of my chains
To all that I was now I’m not a slave
Then You rescued me
And now I can breathe.

I was a dead man walking
Until I was a man walking with You
I was a blind man falling
Until I felt the life You’re calling me to
Pulling me out of the darkness
Pulling me out of the lies
Putting the beat in my heart again
I was a dead man walking
Until You loved this dead man walking back to life.

I have tasted and I’ve seen the wonders of Your heart
I do not deserve a thing, but that’s just who You are.

Are you a dead man walking? Which song best describes you today? The only hope for dead men walking is found in Jesus Christ (John 14:1-6; Acts 4:12).

Soli deo Gloria!

⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—“ (Ephesians 2:4–5 (ESV)

“We must have the full message. . . ‘deliver the whole counsel of God’. . . . It starts with the Law. The Law of God … the demands of a righteous God, the wrath of God. That is the way to bring men and women to conviction; not by modifying the Truth…. We must confront them with the fact that they are men and that they are fallible men, that they are dying men, that they are sinful men, and that they will all have to stand before God at the Bar of Eternal Judgement….And then we must present to them the full-orbed doctrine of the Grace of God in Salvation in Jesus Christ. We must show that no man is saved ‘by the deeds of the Law’, by his own goodness or righteousness, or church membership or anything else, but solely, utterly, entirely by the free gift of God in Jesus Christ His Son.” D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

When believers in Christ speak of salvation, the unconverted may commonly respond by saying, “Saved from what?” The concise answer is “Saved from the wrath of God” (Rom 1:18; Eph. 2:1-3).

Salvation is God’s way of providing people deliverance from sin and death. Scripture reveals God but it also reveals His plan to save sinners. In that sense, salvation is a major theme in the Scriptures.

“In classical Greek the verb sozo (“to save”) and noun soteria (“salvation”) are used for the concept of “rescue,” “deliverance” or “salvation,” and even “well-being” or “health.” The Septuagint most frequently uses Sozo to render the Hebrew Yasha’ (“to save”), and the NT primarily employs Sozo and its derivatives for the idea of salvation,” explains the Tyndale Bible Dictionary.

A subsequent question often is, “Saved by whom?” For many individuals, they trust in their own good works or religious observances to endear themselves to the holy God of the Bible. Unfortunately, our righteous works are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). No one is declared righteous before God on the basis of their own abilities or good intentions (Romans 3:9-20).

What then is the hope for sinful mankind? How can God deliver them from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin and not compromise His holiness? Today’s text provides the answer.

Salvation from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin is from God. He is the Lord. In contrast to the previously mentioned spiritual condition of sinners (Eph. 1-3), He is the One, True, Holy God (Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Isaiah 45:5-7). He is the creator and sustainer of the universe (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-2; Hebrews 1:1-3).

God is also rich in mercy. Being rich (εἰμί πλούσιος; eimi plousios) means to be abundantly wealthy. God presently, actively exists in the state of being wealthy. Wealthy in what form? In mercy. Mercy (ἐν ἔλεος; ev eleos) is to be in union with pity and compassion. Mercy is God not giving to sinners the punishment they deserve.

Additionally, God is love (I John 4:7-11). “Because of the great love with which he loved us.” God’s mercy is accompanied by His great love (Πολύς ἀγάπη; polus agape). This is the Lord’s great self-sacrificial love of the will towards sinners who hated Him and were His enemies (Rom. 5:10), transgressors and filled with iniquity (Isaiah 53:5-6), and spiritual debtors in need of redemption (Matt. 6:12; Rom. 3:21-26).

He saves sinners even when they exist in spiritual death (Eph. 2:1). How was, and is, this salvation accomplished. It is through solely one Savior; Jesus Christ. This fourth element of the Gospel will be studied next time.

Soli deo Gloria!

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV)

“There is something wrong with our world, and even with ourselves as human beings. But what is it? People have given different answers to that question. Some say the problems are primarily economic, others that they’re social, and still others that they’re psychological. Certainly, these answers may give some insight into some of the symptoms of our travail, but the Bible teaches that the disease is something far deeper and more profound. In a word, the problem is sin—rebellion against the creator God who created us,” explains Pastor Greg Gilbert.

The problem of sin is not superficial. Sin is ingrained deep within the individual’s soul. Mankind’s sinful condition began at each individual’s conception (Psalm 51:5). We are not sinners because we sin. Rather, we sin because we are sinners.

Today’s text explains that our sinful condition is called spiritual death. Sinners are separated from God because of their trespasses and sins. God’s wrath, or judgment, is set upon us (Rom. 1:18). Our spiritual death condition involves three specific areas: the world, the devil and our fallen, sinful nature the Apostle Paul called the flesh. An examination of each is necessary.

The world. “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world.” To walk (περιπατέω; peripateo) is a present, active reality of life and living. It is the sinner’s behavior that is in harmony with the course (αἰών; aion) or the age of a sinful system of thinking; a fallen worldview. The Bible calls this the world (κόσμος; kosmos) or the world order.

We witness the philosophy of the fallen world at home, at work, at school, in our neighborhoods, as we travel, and when watch the evening news or access the news on our mobile devices. The secular media, news and entertainment, embraces and advocates for the secular worldview and increasingly opposes biblical Christianity.

The Devil. “Following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.”  While the name Satan, or the devil, is not explicitly referred, the text implicitly refers to our enemy. He is a ruler (ἄρχων; archon) who possesses authority and power (ἐξουσία; exousia). He is a created spirit being (πνεῦμα; pneuma) who is evil and who opposes God. However, the devil’s authority is delegated to him from almighty God.

The Flesh. “^”Among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body.” The flesh (σάρξ; sarx) is the sinner’s human nature. It is not inherently good but rather inherently evil. This fallen nature displays itself by all manner of unrighteousness behavior and thinking (Romans 1:24-32).

The result of this sinful condition and behavior is that unconverted sinners are under the righteous wrath of God. The holy and righteous judge who is the Lord of the universe has condemned sinners and sentenced them to eternal damnation.

“The consequences of Adam’s sin were nothing short of catastrophic. God had promised that if the humans ate from the forbidden tree, they would surely die. What He meant was not just physical death, but also—and more horribly—spiritual death. This was a just and right punishment,” continues Pastor Gilbert.

“Even worse, when Adam sinned, he did so as the representative of every human being. So Paul wrote to the Romans, “Many died through one man’s trespass” (Romans 5:12-21). That is why each of us ratifies over and over again Adam’s act of rebellion against God with our own sin. We, too, long to be free of God’s authority and rule, and so we give ourselves to the pursuit of pleasure and joy in created things as ultimate ends. In the process, we declare that God is not worthy of our worship, and thus we prove ourselves worthy of the curse of spiritual death that God pronounced in the beginning.”

What hope is there for this sinful, fallen world? There only hope is that the One, True God would save sinners from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin. Thanks be to God that He has sovereignly and graciously chosen to do so.

It is this gracious deliverance that we will examine when next we meet. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!