Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and we were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Paul continues to describe the lives of the Ephesian believers before they met Christ. The phrase “among whom” refers back to those who are disobedient (mentioned in verse two). In this context, “conversation” means “to conduct oneself, to order one’s behavior.” In essence, Paul is saying that, in the past, the Ephesians were just as rebellious as anyone else. They lived in defiance of God.
What did this disobedience entail? Paul gives us a clue. He describes a person controlled by the flesh. It’s important to understand this word correctly. While it can generally mean our physical body, Paul isn’t using it that way. In this context, Paul is referring to our sinful nature, our inborn tendency to sin. For example, it’s that part of me that wants to punch whoever tries to cut in front of me.
This inward propensity to sin shows up very early in life, doesn’t it? You don’t need to teach a child to be selfish or disobedient. I’m sure all parents would agree that, to a large degree, raising a child entails teaching it to control its less noble tendencies. I know my mom and dad had their hands full with me!
Why do we have this sinful nature in the first place? If we go back to creation, God made Adam and Eve without sin. But Satan deceived them into rebelling. In encouraging Eve to disobey, he made it sound as if they would only gain the knowledge of good and evil. He left out the crucial detail that this evil would control them (and their descendants). He knew full well they would have no power to resist. Unfortunately, we’ve been suffering the consequences of their disobedience ever since.
Getting back to our verse, Paul describes the Ephesians as having been under the complete control of this sinful nature. They lived to fulfill its every whim. The Greek word “mind” is plural and in this context means “thoughts.” Paul is specifically referring to evil thoughts. Both our sinful nature and our mind cooperate to keep us under the domination of sin. The difference between them is that the first is our natural reaction and inclination (the first thing that pops into our head), while the second is what we choose to think about and focus on.
What is the result of this sorry state of affairs? Paul writes that they were “by nature children of wrath.” By using the word “children,” he emphasizes that the consequence is tied to birth. They were born with it. The phrase “by nature” indicates that the repercussion is inherent or innate.
So what exactly is he talking about? He is saying that they were under God’s wrath. The word “wrath” generally means “anger,” but when applied to God, it refers to His indignation, hatred, or repulsion toward anything connected with sin and evil. Paul is saying that the Ephesians, and the whole human race (“even as others”), were born into a state of being under God’s displeasure because of sin, resulting in estrangement and punishment.
I’m sure that’s exactly what Satan had in mind when he deceived Eve. But he didn’t realize God had a plan to undo the damage! The good news is that the Ephesian believers didn’t stay in such a state. There is a way out! We’ll learn more about it next time.