The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-30

in ''trespasses and in sins" This is the
natural state of all, and it applies to
all races and all sorts and conditions
of men. from the Croesus to the poorest
beggar-from Dives Cwhose name does
not occur in the Bible, as some preach
ers and others appear to think to the
pitiable lazarus. Dead in trespasses
and in sins" Such is fallen, lost, ruin
ed humanity. The apostle tells how
h dead" Ephesians lived-that in
these "trespasses and sins" they "in
time past'-ali their lives-"walk-
ed according TO the course Of the world.
according TO the prince of the power
OF the air, the spirit that now worketh
in the children of disobedience." Here
is q true. graphic description of a fall
en- people. without God and without sal
walton. All they know is this world.
and whose only standard of right living
and character is that of a world ac-
cursed by sin and Astounding in low
ideals and the worst practices, going
on daily and hourly from sin to sin.
What a world, What a peoplei They
were growing in all that is evil, in all
that curses finally and damns eternal
ly. They were developing in wicked
ness on the world ines and accord
ing to the prince of the power Of the
air''-the old Devil. Satan himself. AS
he leads as he wishes, IS he purposes,
so they walked and obeyed. He is call
ed in Johns Gospel the prince of this
world" He il is who curSeth~ so
many to walk in sinful ways because
he 'worketh in the children of disobe-
dience. He is always, everywhere seek
ing to allure, TO capture, to deceive.
He is constantly seeking to draw away
Christians from their S~teadfastnesS,
and to ruin them forever more. He is
still, as in the past. influencing men
and women for evil, leading them cap
tive to his will and according to his
own wicked pleasure. These Ephesians
were fully dead. They could eat and
drink and taste, but were dead in sin,
dead in so far as their moral qualities
and actions were concerned, Indifferent
to God. disobedient and rebellious.
They were dead as to all spiritual pow
er. dead to all that was of great inn
portance to the soul and a future state.
They had not been quickened by the
power of the Holy Ghost. Their souls
were practically dead as to all that was
right and good and pure am exalted.
hey NtIc uSdu III ISSpdooSo olu III
sins In verse third the apostle APP
plies what has been said OF a people
far away from God, from holiness,
from Heaven. He says: Among
whom also we all had our conversa-
ton in times past in the lusts of our
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh
and of the mind; and were by nature
the children of wrath, ven as others"
He shows herein that both Gentiles and
Jews were in the same tempest tossed
boat, were all alike sinful, d~isobedient,
rebellious, lost. They were all "by ma
ture children of wrath" and were
doomed because all richly deserved to
PERISH to be destroyed-all were the
children of wrath" 1t is AN awful fate,
a terrible condition-'children of
wrath" Eternal wrath is sure to be
the lot of all Who remain in this lost,
sinful condition. There is no possible
doubt of this. If they remain in this
worldly, wicked state they are simply
born to an inheritance of endless mis-
cry. In verse fourth and downward we
are told of a more excellent way and
of a sure escape.