Ephesians Series: Ephesians 2:12c-The Fourth and Fifth Descriptions of Gentile Christians Before Justification

Ephesians 2:11 Therefore, each and every one of you as a corporate unit must continue to make it your habit of remembering that formerly each of you who belong to the Gentile race with respect to the human body, specifically, those who receive the designation “uncircumcision” by the those who receive the designation “circumcision” with respect to the human body performed by human hands, 12 each one of you used to be characterized as without a relationship with Christ. Each one of you used to be alienated from the nation of Israel’s citizenship. Specifically, each of you used to be strangers to the most important promise, which is the product of the covenants. Each of you used to not possess a confident expectation of blessing. Consequently, each one of you used to be without a relationship with God in the sphere of the cosmic world system. (Lecturer’s translation)

The fourth description of the unregenerate state of Gentile Christians prior to their conversion to Christianity, which Paul presents here in Ephesians 2:12 describes them as being characterized as not possessing a confident expectation of blessing.

Therefore, if we compare the command to remember in Ephesians 2:11 with this fourth description of these Christian Gentiles prior to their conversion to Christianity in Ephesians 2:12, Paul wants these Gentile Christians to continue to make it their habit of remembering that they used to be characterized as not possessing a confident expectation of blessing.

The noun elpis(ἐλπίς), “confident expectation of blessing” refers to the church age believer receiving a resurrection body at the rapture or resurrection of the church and rewards for faithful service from the Lord Jesus Christ at the Bema Seat.

They appropriated this confident expectation of blessing at justification when they were simultaneously identified with His Son in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the Father’s right hand.

The fifth and final description of the unregenerate state of these Gentile Christians, which Paul presents here in Ephesians 2:12 presents the result of the fourth description of them.

It indicates that they were characterized as being without a relationship with God in the sphere of the cosmic world system of Satan as a result of not possessing a confident expectation of blessing.

They entered into a relationship with God and simultaneously possessing a confident expectation of blessing when the Father declared them justified through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, if we compare the command to remember in Ephesians 2:11 with this fifth and final description of these Christian Gentiles prior to their conversion to Christianity in Ephesians 2:12, Paul wants these Gentile Christians to continue to make it their habit of remembering that they used to be characterized as without a relationship with God in the sphere of the cosmic world system.

This final description of unregenerate Gentiles does not mean that they were atheists but rather that they did not possess a relationship with the God of Israel, who is the true God.

The Gentiles in Paul’s day worshipped the Graeco-Roman pantheon of gods (cf. 1 Cor. 8:5, 6; Gal. 4:8; 1 Thess. 4:5) and thus, they were far from being atheists.

There is an interpretation issue with regards to the articular dative masculine singular form of the noun kosmos (κόσμος), which appears in this final description since some expositors believe it pertains to planet earth as the habitation of human beings.

On other hand, others believe that the word retains the same referent here in Ephesians 2:12 as it did in Ephesians 2:2, namely, the cosmic world system.

In the New Testament, kosmos has three main uses:

(1) The orderly arrangement of the heavens or the earth and all things in their complex order and composition as created by God, created in perfect order and subject to the laws God established to govern its operation (Matt. 13:35; John 21:25; Acts 17:24).

(2) The cosmos (Greek, kosmos) may also refer to the world in its arrangement of the inhabitants of the earth in tribes and nations or peoples (Acts 17:26; John 3:16; 1 Cor. 4:9; 1 John 2:2; 2 Pet. 2:5).

(3) Kosmos is used of a vast system and arrangement of human affairs, earthly goods, godless governments, conflicts, riches, pleasures, culture, education, world religions, the cults and the occult dominated and negatively affected by Satan who is god of this satanic cosmos.

I believe that the noun kosmos (κόσμος) pertains to the cosmic world system that is ruled Satan because in both Ephesians 2:2 and 12, it appears in a description of the recipients of this epistle prior to their conversion to Christianity and in Ephesians 2:2, the referent of the word is the cosmic world system of Satan.

The devil established his cosmic world system on the earth after the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden.

At that time, the devil became the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4) and the ruler of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).

The entire world is under his authority (Luke 4:6; 1 John 5:19) and he deceives the entire world (Rev. 12:9).

Therefore, when the noun kosmos (κόσμος) appears in both Ephesians 2:2 and 12, it indicates that these Gentile Christians were living under the authority and deception of Satan’s cosmic world system prior to their justification.

So therefore, the noun kosmos (κόσμος), “the cosmic world system” pertains to a vast system and arrangement of human affairs, earthly goods, godless governments, conflicts, riches, pleasures, culture, education, world religions, the cults and the occult dominated and negatively affected by Satan who is god of this satanic cosmos.

This word is the object of the preposition en (ἐν), which indicates that the sphere in which these Gentile Christians used to exist in the state of not possessing a relationship with God prior to their justification.

Therefore, this prepositional phrase en tō kosmō (ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ) indicates that these Gentiles prior to their conversion to Christianity used to exist in the state of not possessing a relationship with God “in the sphere of the cosmic world system” that is ruled by the devil himself.

This system is promoted by Satan, conformed to his ideals, aims, methods, and character, and stands perpetually in opposition to God the cause of Christ.

This world system is used to seduce men away from God and the person of Christ.

It is anti-God, anti-Christ, and anti-Bible, and very anti-humanity though it often appears as humanitarian as part of Satan’s masquerade as an angel of light.

The noun kosmos(κόσμος) is not only a system but also an organization.

An organization is that which is organized.

Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines the verb “organize”: (1) To form as or into a whole consisting of interdependent or coordinated parts, especially for harmonious or united action (2) To systematize.

If we paraphrase this definition, we could say that the noun kosmos (κόσμος) refers to the “formation into a whole of interdependent and coordinated parts for harmonious and united action” against God.

Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines a “system” as “an assemblage or combination of things or parts forming a complex or unitary whole; due method or orderly manner of arrangement or procedure.”

If we paraphrase this definition, we could say that the noun kosmos (κόσμος) refers to the “assemblage of fallen angels forming a complex whole” that is under the authority of Satan.

The cosmic system is not a theocratic or Christocentric society, organization or system since it is designed by Satan to seduce men away from worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ.

Satan uses temptations to incorporate even believers into his system and organization that is independent of God.