Note 8 at Eph. 2:3: In scripture, the word "conversation" means more than just the words we speak. The Greek word from which "conversation" was translated is ANASTREPHO, which means "to conduct oneself, indicating one's manner of life and character" (W.E. Vine).

Note 9 at Eph. 2:3: The New American Heritage Dictionary defines "nature" as "the intrinsic character of a person or thing." Here Paul is describing that everyone before salvation has a natural disposition to sin. It is not our individual acts of sin that make us a sinner. It is our sin nature that makes us commit individual acts of sin (see note 6 at Rom. 5:19, p. 774). Therefore, salvation is not a matter of stopping sin. We are powerless to do that completely. But even if someone could never sin again, that still wouldn't change his nature. That's why we must be born again (see note 2 at Jn. 3:3, p. 92).