Ephesians Week 4 - Grace through Faith

Week 4

Ephesians 2:1–10 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 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.

Salvation by Grace through Faith.

This section, like 1:3–14 and 1:15–23, is a single sentence in the original Greek.

The overarching theme is that God lavishes his grace on Christians through his saving initiative.

There are two subsections: 2:1–3 and 2:4–10.

Breakdown of Vs. 1-10

VS. 1

Paul starts out chapter 2 by showing how we once were

We were once “dead in the trespasses and sins”

Death signifies the absence of communication with the living.

One who is dead spiritually has no communication with God; he is separated from God.

We are separated from God because of our sin/death

The death is spiritual, for non-believers are still living

VS. 2-3

Paul points out three ways that mankind is against God

They follow the ways of this world

They follow the ruler of the kingdom of air

They are in active opposition of God

One key thing to note here is that Paul points out that “you once walked” showing that every non-Christian is in these camps

That every single person has been in this camp

We are all - as Paul puts it - by nature children of wrath

We were all the direct object of the wrath of God

VS. 4-5

THE BIG BUT IN THE BIBLE!! (HALLELUJAH!)

The whole next section is then phrased to talk about God and what God did

Vs. 1-3 talk all about humans (us)

Vs. 4-10 then talk all about what God has done

Paul talks about how again we were dead in our sin - literally dead from God with no way to contact Him

BUT God being full of mercy and love for us, made us alive with Christ

We were saved by grace!

VS. 6-7

Paul then goes on to tell us that not only are we saved from our sins, but that God has raised us up with him

Literally the saving power made us go from dead to God, to now able to connect with God

Not only that though - Paul also says that we are seated in the heavenly places with Christ

That though earthly we are here, we are now spiritually aligned with Christ

We are now Spiritually sons and daughters of Christ

We are no longer citizens of the world, we are citizens of Heaven

Paul also tells us, what we experience now in Christ is only a foretaste of what God will give us

VS. 8-10

Paul then continues to expound on the idea of being saved by grace alone

Further showing that we are not saved by our self

It was not a result of our work

You were dead to God - literally the only thing God saw you as is something that deserved wrath!

Yet we are saved by Grace - Saved by God

And our faith in God

Questions