Verse by Verse Commentary of the Letter to the Ephesians
We are made alive...
God is fully aware of who we were. We were “dead in … transgressions and sins” and we used to follow “the ways of this world.” We were dedicated to “gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature.” So, in affirming our new identity in Christ, there is no question of misunderstanding. God knew full well what we were.We were.... Now we are no longer what we were! Now we have been “made…alive” in Christ. His grace has been poured out on us and we were “raised…up with Christ,” recipients not of a reward, but of a gift. Who are we now? “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”God knows who we were: it is up to you and me to take Him at His word about who we now are! We can no longer think of ourselves in the old way, or burden ourselves down with past guilt. In Jesus we are renewed: we are His own fresh creations, shaped by the divine hand for the good works He calls us to do. (Bob Damon’s Ephesians Commentary, pg 4).
Beginning in Ephesians 2:
1And
you He
made alive,
who were dead in trespasses and sins,
2in
which you once walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now
works in the sons of disobedience,
- To be “in this world” is to be spiritually dead. Not only are the unsaved “dead to sin”, but they are under the dominion of the spirit of the prince of the power of the air.
- Romans 8:6 “For to be carnally minded is death…”
3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by
nature children of wrath, just as the others.
- By our nature we are enemies of God:
- Romans 8:7-8 “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
- John reminds us we were condemned
- John 3:18-20 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”
4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He
loved us,
- “But God”, the most inspiring of all literary transitions. Suddenly nothing is impossible, and all that might have been lost can now be saved.
- What follows only God could have done; and most amazingly, that He would.
Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6and raised us
up together, and made us
sit together in the heavenly places
in Christ Jesus,
- Grace is undeserved favor. Even as we were sinful, dead, and enemies of God, He saw fit to save us from condemnation.
- Contrast that with how we are now “righteous”, “alive”, and “seated together” with Christ in the heavenlies.
7that
in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace
in His
kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
- This can only be heaven, a glorious vision of endless, future ages with Christ.
8For
by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it
is
the gift of God,
9not
of works, lest anyone should boast.
- God is the originator of grace, given as a completed, finished work in the believer. The word 'it' refers grammatically to 'saved' or salvation.
- Hebrews 10:12-14 “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
- Grace is not earned by church membership, baptism, confirmation, christening, tithing, communion, service, seminary degree, using spiritual gifts, and following the 10 commandments. These acts of obedience are good works, but the works do not “cause” grace to be bestowed on the recipient. This should be liberating, to know that...
- Romans 8:1-2 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
10For
we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which
God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
- What God begins in us, He will finish.
- Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…”
- The redemptive process completes us, from being dead, to alive in Christ and glorified, hoping for that day to be fulfilled because…
- Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Application Questions
- Prior to our conversion, what was our position with Christ? What is it now?
- How does this affect our daily lives?
- Without Christ, what are three characteristics of a person “in the world”?
- What does God intend to show us in eternity future?
- Can you describe to someone who does not know Christ what awaits them in eternity?
- Can you describe the importance of decisions made now in this life?
- Do we view those in the world around us scripturally?
- Do we have the concern for their future that Christ had?
_____________________
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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