Buckhannon, West Virginia — Appalachian Post
When the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:12 that the Christian struggle “is not against flesh and blood,” he addressed a worldview deeply rooted in ancient Ephesus. The people of that city believed the air above them, the “heavenly realms”, was populated by dangerous spiritual beings capable of influencing sickness, fortune, conflict, and daily life. Paul’s words were not metaphor, but were a direct challenge to the cultural fears of his audience.
Ephesus was a center of ancient religion and spiritual activity. Historical records describe it as a city filled with temples, idols, ritual practices, and magical texts. The Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, dominated the region both economically and spiritually. According to the BOOK OF ACTS, many Ephesian residents practiced sorcery and owned scrolls used for protection against hostile forces. When some came to faith in Christ, they publicly burned these scrolls, demonstrating how deeply rooted their fear of unseen powers had been.
Ancient Ephesian culture taught that the heavens were layered with spiritual beings who controlled aspects of human life. Illness, misfortune, conflict, and even emotional disturbance were often attributed to these unseen powers, magical formulas, incantations, and protective amulets were commonly used to defend against them. When Paul wrote that believers faced “principalities,” “powers,” and “spiritual forces of wickedness,” he intentionally used the very categories familiar to the people of Ephesus. However, he reframed their understanding by teaching that these forces were subject to God’s authority and that believers should not rely on charms or rituals, but on the “armor of God,” grounded in truth, righteousness, faith, and Scripture.
This ancient worldview reveals a human pattern that still exists today: people still often attribute sickness or misfortune to environmental or invisible influences. In modern society, it is common to hear statements such as “cold weather causes sickness” or “you’ll catch something if you go outside without a coat.” While these phrases are widely used, scientific evidence does not support the idea that cold air itself creates illness. Germ theory, established through the work of Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, demonstrates that infectious diseases are caused by microorganisms: viruses, bacteria, and similar agents. Historical summaries from Britannica and research published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information describe how this understanding replaced older beliefs that “bad air” or environmental conditions directly caused disease.
Medical institutions clarify this further. Information from Mayo Clinic notes that cold temperatures do not cause common colds; instead, viral spread increases in winter due to closer indoor contact and conditions that allow viruses to survive more easily.
Johns Hopkins Medicine explains that cold weather does not generate infection but may contribute to environments where viruses are transmitted more readily. While research by Mass Eye and Ear, in collaboration with Northeastern University, adds nuance by showing that cold temperatures can reduce immune response in nasal tissues, making it easier for existing viruses to take hold, this finding does not mean weather causes disease, but that it may influence conditions under which infections occur.
This comparison does not equate ancient beliefs with modern science. Instead, it highlights a consistent human instinct: the tendency to explain unseen causes through the environment around us whether that’s environmental conditions, the universe working against us, or even karma paying someone back.
Ancient Ephesians feared spiritual powers in the air; modern society often speaks of sickness as though temperature, the universe, or even karma itself carries force. In both cases, people attribute effects to invisible influences. Paul’s message in Ephesians 6:12 addresses this instinct directly by grounding his audience in spiritual clarity and teaching that human conflict is not ultimately with other people, and that believers must stand firm against spiritual challenges through faith, truth, and the word of God.
I’ve often heard people say that we need to fight against people that believe this theory or that theory; this religion or that religion; this side of the isle or that side of the isle. So, let’s set the record straight via what Paul is saying here, via his instruction to the Ephesians. Our fight is not against those people or anybody in this world, on this planet earth, whatsoever.
As Christians we are called to higher battle and a deeper more meaningful moral war: we are called to fight against ideas and evil, wicked ideologies. Ideologies that oppress others and cause harm to others, ideas and ideologies that call for classism or segregation, or any type of separation at all (as Christians we should be about unity, never division); ideologies that threaten to take belongings, land or property from others. But never, not once, under the covenant set forth in the New Testament of scripture, are we ever called to fight against other people; that person is not your enemy, that person is neutral vessel, just like us, that possesses a freewill and was, for whatever reason, deceived by a bigger problem: the idea, the principality: they are not your enemy.
At the Appalachian Post, we review Scripture in its historical context and examine how ancient teachings interacted with the beliefs of their original audiences. Our approach reflects the understanding that many ideas, ancient or modern, arise from deeper worldview commitments. We present what can be confirmed from first-hand biblical texts and established historical research, allowing readers to consider how these teachings continue to be applied today.
Primary First-Hand Sources
• BOOK OF EPHESIANS
• BOOK OF ACTS
Secondary Attribution-Based Sources
• Britannica overview of germ theory
• National Center for Biotechnology Information historical review of germ theory
• Mayo Clinic explanation of cold-weather and illness patterns
• Johns Hopkins Medicine information on viral infection and temperature
• Mass Eye and Ear / Northeastern University research on cold air and immune response
• Historical and archaeological research related to Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis
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