Ephesians 2:3
“Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”
Among them we too all formerly lived. That was us. The point of this is not to be judgemental: us v. them. “Look at those poor suckers.” Absolutely not. We were salmon swimming down stream when we heeded the call. God put within us a desire to go upstream. We bump into a lot of fish going that direction. Many attempt to pursuade us to turn around and join them. “What in the world are you doing going upstream at this time of year? Science says we should be going down.” 1 Peter 4:4 says it this way, “In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you.” It would be easy to give up the effort and let the tide take us and go with the flow of the world. We probably do that from time to time. But we have learned to love God. We’ve grown dependant on Him. Ps. 106:15 says, “And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” As we go our own way, we cut ourselves off from the life of God. We go spiritually hungry. We get what we want, but we’re miserable. To put it in the positive, here is Ps.16:11, “In Your presence is fullness of joy.” The further we get from God, the less joy we have. At first, we love the joy. After a while, we love the giver of the joy, our Lord. We were living as the above verse says, living in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind. This is living according to appetite. He gave us desires and drives, but we aren’t to be governed by them. Drives, if followed, can bring us to some dark places. Just begin with any of our appetites and go to an extreme. The second referrence is “indulging in the desires of the mind.” These are our ideas that either aren’t godly or are so if taken to an extreme. The world says, “live and let live.” God gives us restrictions. We are restricting ourselves out of obediance, not out of self righteousness. We were children of wrath. This is such a sad term. Paul doesn’t use it flipantly. The down stream fish are headed towards Niagra Falls. We are all doomed, if we go that way. Those going downstream take comfort in their numbers and their company. Matt 7:13 says, “13“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.” We can’t let the majority decide for us. We can’t let a smart, influencial or charismatic person influence us. Lord, thanks for Your life that you put within us. Thank You that You saved us. Help us to pursuade many to turn around.