Total Recall

¹As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. ⁴But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:1-10

Introduction

• In the last half of chapter 1, we saw where Paul several things for which he had been praying in behalf of the Ephesians:
  1. That they might know God (1:7)
  2. That they might know the hope of His calling (1:18a)
  3. That they might know the glorious riches of His inheritance in the saints (1:18b)
  4. That they might know the exceeding greatness of God’s power toward believers (1:19)
• In order that we might appreciate more fully the grace and power that was at work in our conversion, this lesson will focus on the description of our condition before our conversion.
• For we will not be able to appreciate our present wealth unless we fully appreciate our former poverty.
• Without a proper appreciation of our present wealth, we will not likely heed the exhortations found later in the epistle.
  

1. Due to sin, humans are the living dead (v. 1-3)

• Before our conversion to Christ, we were “dead” because of our own sins, and as such, were spiritually separated from God, even if we already thought of ourselves as religiously devout.
  • By “dead” we mean spiritually dead, as in, separated from God.
  • This death has been brought on by “trespasses and sins”, both sins of commission and sins of omission.
• Gripped in the throes of terrible sin, we were influenced by Satan, and were walking “according to the course of this world”.
  • We allowed the ways of the world to rule our lives, either consciously or unconsciously.
• Before being “children of God” we were “children of wrath”, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, and giving in to immoral plans and wicked deeds.
  • This can also be treated as something that we can pray healing for, if we have any lingering bad memories that we can’t get over, like broken hearts or shattered minds.

Read Ephesians 2:1-3. As you do, substitute personal pronouns in the appropriate places. How does that make you want to respond to God? Do you have lingering memories of the time when you were “walking according to the course of the world”? How do you overcome these memories?

2. God decided to change our eternity (v. 4-9)

• God loves us so much that He redeemed and saved us, giving as the privilege to be one with Him, holy and without blame, and receive salvation by grace through faith.
  • This is the beginning point of our salvation.
  • He did this not because we are lovable, but because God is infinitely good.
• This salvation involves the following:
  1. The great love of God
  2. The rich mercy/compassion of God
  3. Being made alive together with Christ
     • Occurred because of God’s unmerited favor
     • Occurs when one is baptized into Christ
  4. Being raised up together with Christ
     • Because of our union with Christ, we enjoy an exalted position with Him
     • We have the privilege of living a blessed and blissful life in Christ

3. Ministry is the application of God’s plan (v. 10)

• Even though salvation is first and foremost by grace, salvation by grace is still attained through faith, together with the working of God.
  • To emphasize: Salvation is “not yourselves; it is the gift of God” and “not of works, lest anyone should boast”
  • This is something that cannot be bought or bartered or bargained for.
  • So that when a person in faith is being baptized, they are not “earning” their salvation, they are “receiving” their salvation which is by God’s grace and God’s working.
• We are God’s “workmanship”, created, chosen, and brought up by Him (to sit together in the heavenly places). Read: 2 Corinthians 5:17.
• The goal of this workmanship is so that we will be able to do good works in His name.
  • Emphasize that we are not saved by good works; we are to do good works (it is built into our design to do so).
  • Us doing good works is part of His predetermined plan.

Conclusion

• It is by “grace through faith” that “children of wrath” can become “children of God”
• Salvation by grace through faith involves:
  1. God’s great love
  2. God’s rich mercy
  3. God making us alive together with Christ
  4. God raising us up together with Christ to sit with Him in the heavenly places
  5. An obedient faith that trusts in God’s workmanship, not one’s own works