Hope in Christ (2:4-10)

Introduction:

As we continue in our study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, which of course is a letter to us as well, we have learned some profound truths concerning the blessings we have received as saints in Christ. However, last week we flashed back to who and what we were before being in Christ…we were dead. In light of this, some of us left here last week with the reminder of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, in particular, his opening paragraph:

Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it. And Scrooge’s name was good upon ‘Change for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a doornail.

This paragraph, though part of a fictitious novel, best illustrates the bad news of our spiritual condition before Christ saved us. What makes matters worse is that there is nothing we as human beings can do about it. However, that is not the end of the story. There is good news, and when seen against the backdrop of this bad news, it becomes great news, miraculous news, life transforming news! So let’s allow the Spirit of God to direct us in understanding this immense good news as a result of our Hope in Christ, from Ephesians 2:4-10.

Text: Ephesians 2:4-10

Ephesians 2:4–10 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Main Idea: Since all human beings are born spiritually dead and without hope in themselves, God did what only God could do, invade total depravity with grace.

I. Our Hope in Christ Begins with Great Love (4-9)

As a result of God’s choosing us before time began, his covenantal love was at work to invade our dead condition in time.

Note, as we begin this passage, the great contrast, (4a) But God...But (adversative conjunction - used to express contrast between the immediate clause and the one preceeding it) God - note that there is only one being able to initiate this contrast, it is God and God alone.

Also note that many of the verbs in this section are prefixed with the greek preposition “sun” (with), which indicates a simultaneous relationship, in that what was done to Christ is also done to us. This shows the ultimate understanding of what it means to be in Christ. We see how Paul expresses this relationship to the Roman Christians:

Romans 8:32 ESV

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

A. God’s great love brought his rich mercy (4)

(4b) ...being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

being (eimi [pre, act, par] - to be) rich (plousios [adj] - wealthy) in mercy (eleos [noun] - leniency show to offenders who deserve judgment) - God who is by nature rich in mercy

because of (dia - preposition of causation) the great (polys [adj] - out of the ordinary, or extraordinary) love (agape [noun] - self-sacrificing love, intimate, covenantal love) - the cause of God’s great mercy is his great love.

with which he loved us - it is that great love, that covenantal love that chose us in eternity past, that prevails in eternity present.

Psalm 86:15 ESV

15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

With his rich mercy which was caused by his great love, we see next that...

B. God’s great love enabled grace to bring life (5)

(5) even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

even (kai [conj] - a condition of) when we were (eimi [pre, act, par] - state of being) dead in our trespasses - God’s mercy and love was not poured out on those who had somehow worked their way to him, but were actively in the state of being dead and helpless.

made us alive together with (syzoopoieo [aor, act, ind] - supernaturally raise to life with others ) Christ - this statement shows us that the miracle of the new birth, is infinitely tied to the resurrection of Christ.

1 Peter 1:3 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

by grace (charis [noun] - unmerited, unearned favor) you have been saved (sozo [per, pas, par] - rescued from sin in the past with ongoing implications in the present) - this is what defines salvation…being dead, being made alive, through God’s rich mercy, caused by his love, administered by his grace.

Not only have we been made alive, but...

C. God’s great love positioned us with Christ (6-7)

(6) and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

raised us up with him (synegeiro [aor, act, ind] - to raise up together, as a result of the one raising, the other is raised also ) - this goes beyond being made alive together but has the implication of new activity, which is that we are...

seated us with him (synkathizo [aor, act, ind] - to sit down with) - this is the new activity that happened when we were raised up with Christ, and where are we seated...

in (preposition of location) the heavenly places in Christ Jesus - here we see that where Christ is seated, we are seated. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, and so are we.

Colossians 3:1–4 ESV

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

The reason for this is...

(7) so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

so that (hina - conjunction of purpose) - here is the purpose statement; this is the reason why we are still here physically on earth, though positionally we are seated with Christ in heaven...

in the coming ages he might show - this purpose is that we become God’s show-and-tell objects, trophies in his trophy case for all generations to see! What is it that they are to see?...

the immeasurable (hyperballo [pre, act, par] - continually going beyond human standards of measure) riches of his grace in kindness toward us - the immense grace given to us is inconceivable and incomprehensible by us humans! Paul declares this in one of his doxologies that he gives to the Roman Christians:

Romans 11:33 ESV

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

in Christ Jesus - all stemming from our position in Christ.

We as God’s show-in-tell objects are placed in a world where we endure life like the world does, go to work, buy gas, shop, get sick, have aches and pains, and grow old. But we do it as those who persevere with God’s enabling grace, from our position in Christ.

But, isn’t there anything that we did, even the smallest of things that brought about our salvation?...

D. God’s great love saved us from start to finish (8-9)

(8) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

For (gar - explanatory conjunction) by grace (charis [noun] - personal unmerited favor) you have been saved (sozo [per, pas, par] - salvation begun in the past and continuing into the present, and on into eternity) through (dia - preposition of means or instrumentality) faith -

faith is what the theologians call the instrumental cause of justification, which comes from the philosopher, Aristotle, understanding of how things are done...

material cause - marble or stone (human being chosen by God)

efficient cause - the sculptor (God the master sculptor)

formal cause - blueprint (God’s covenant of redemption)

instrumental cause - chisel and hammer (faith in Christ alone)

in other words, faith is the instrument that links the believer to the meritorious works of Christ, thus enabling justification.

It acts alone, and is therefore said that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. To be sure,

this (houtos - demonstrative pronoun, referring back to faith, and the salvation resulting from faith) is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, - even this faith is not a meritorious work on our part, but is part of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, the gift of God, giving us a new nature where faith becomes our new breath.

(9) not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

not a result of works, - not an accumulation of good works that would merit our justification

so that no one may boast - So that there will never be anything that we can boast of in ourselves, our boasting is in Christ alone!

II. Our Hope in Christ Results in Good Works (10)

Paul further explains what God is doing in each of us here on earth, as his show-and-tell objects, we find that...

A. Good works are crafted to us (10a)

(10a) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,

For (gar - explanatory conjunction) we are (eimi [pre, act, ind] - to be) his workmanship (poiema [noun] - creation, masterpiece) - we are God’s created masterpiece, individually crafted and...

created (ktizo [aor, pas, par] - brought into existence) in Christ Jesus for (purpose of this creation) good works, - this masterpiece was brought into existence for one purpose, that in Christ, we would produce good works.

Note that these are good works that are a result of being saved in Christ, and are not that which brought salvation.

Also note that this good works are defined by God as a result of being in Christ and not what man has determined are good works, and that these...

B. Good works were chosen with us (10b)

(10b) which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

which God prepared beforehand (proetoimazo [aor, act, ind] - to make ready in advance), - these good works were not an afterthought but were set up and arranged for well in advance of our salvation.

that we should walk (peripateo [aor, act, sub] - possibility to walk) in them - it is God’s before ordained will that those who have been saved and therefore are positioned in Christ, are given the possibility and intention to walk in good works as defined by God. In fact, James tells us that if we do not do good works, our faith is dead.

James 2:26 ESV

26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

In summary, God invaded our hopeless, helpless deadness with life giving mercy and grace. This mercy and grace was produced from his steadfast love which chose us in Christ before time began. As a result, we are positional placed in Christ and seated with him in heavenly places, however, while we are here on earth, he equipped us for good works that will bring him glory as we become his show-and-tell before the world.

So What?

Do we really understand that salvation from start to finish is God’s doing?

Do we take seriously the reality that we have been equipped for good works that bring God glory, and that these good works are to be our exhaustive earthly activity.