But GOD! - Part 1

Ephesians 2:1–7 NASB95

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, 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 ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Intro: Getting stuck at Mapleton’s Timber Hills Ranch. But GOD calmed the wind giving me and Marcellus a window to power through against lighter wind and make it to the dock.

Thesis: To bless all to understand, appreciate, and praise God for blessing us with a complete changed state, from death to life. Helping us to see the blessing in “But GOD”.

We were dead!

Paul has branched from his prayer to focus once again on the Gentile disciples reading his letter, indicated by “you”. He now brings up their past condition, to remind them of the serious plight that they all used to be in. And it was the worst condition human could be in. What’s that? Not spiritual immaturity, sickness, or weakness. Paul says “you were dead”. Not the physical death of the body, but a totally lost, ruined, and dead soul. Spiritual zombies.

Walking in sin (Where were we dead?)

In zombie movies, they’re in ragged clothes and deteriorated skin. For these Gentiles, their deadness was located and clothed in out of bounds behavior. Paul says that’s where they used to walk, which indicates ones behavioral lifestyle. What’s that, always out of bounds and evil.

To the beat of the world (What manner did we walk?)

Paul then informs them of what manner they walked. He doesn’t specify any behavior, rather the forces that influenced their walk.

Example: Having a huge bag strapped to one shoulder, trying to walk through a crowd, heavily influences the manner in which you walk.

Likewise, Paul is going to give three forces of influence upon those that are dead. The first two are tied to how they walked. First, Paul says it was conforming to this worldly period, in other words to the beat of the world. Walking to the beat of this world means having values, beliefs, and morals that differ from GOD and are in rebellion to GOD. All in all, this points to ones environment.

Application: However the streets move, some of the most popular music, evil politics, corporate rat race, social media, etc.

To the command of satan (What manner did we walk?)

Not only was their walk to the beat of the world or their environment, it was to the command of satan. Paul’s use of prince points to rulership. Greeks understood “air” to be the space between the earth and the moon, and both Greeks and Jews believed that space was occupied by spirits or demons. Paul connects with that concept affirming that there is a ruler over all demonic powers, that being satan. Jesus calls him the ruler of demons and ruler of this world. Jesus and Paul calling attention to his rulership means that he has authority and command.

So they get a clearer understanding that he is a ruler and has command, Paul says when you look out and see people who are completely unpersuaded about GOD, by GOD, and don’t care about and reject God’s rule, you are witnessing satan’s command at work!! He is a spirit with authority, and has the ability to influence humanity’s lifestyle!

We were destined to wrath!

Paul gives a second condition, again to remind them of the bad shape they were in. However, with this condition he doesn’t leave anybody out. The first condition was pointed out to Gentiles, but Paul now yells from the hills to all Jews, “WE TOO!!” All are included. This second condition indicates what attitude GOD had toward us, wrath. It is the build up of God’s anger. It’s one thing for GOD to be angry in the moment. But Lord help us, for an eternal God’s anger to build up, means an eternal punishment. Paul affirms that they all were destined for that punishment, calling them children of wrath by nature!!

Living in our self-appetites (What manner did we live?)

What manner of life effected the condition of being destined to wrath? Paul, again including himself, all Jews and Gentiles, says it was the way they lived. This flesh that we live in moved as if it had a mind of its own. It has cravings that it will kill for. And when the spirit of the flesh is set on what it wants, it communicates to the mind and body to move and get what it wants, by any means necessary. The first two influences were external, the environment and power of satan, but this one sits right inside the human nature. That is ones self-appetite. And all three forces were in constant collaboration to influence how we walked and lived in sin. As a result, we were dead!! and we were destined to wrath!!!

BUT GOD!!!

Paul builds up who they all WERE to arrive at this dynamic and pivotal point in the text (v. 4), say it with me “BUT GOD!!!” We were dead… We were spiritual zombies walking in sin… We were walking to the beat of the world’s drum… We were marching to the command of satan… We were living off the appetite of self… We were destined to be punished eternally under God’s anger...

Reversed our devastation (v. 5-6) (Made us come alive, raised us, and exalted us with Christ (Counters death, wrath, and bondage))

“But” means a contrast. Everything on one side of the word is completely against the other side!! Your and our devastation were on the one side, BUT GOD is on the other side! His activity completely opposes the activity on the other side. Thus he reversed our devastation. How this connects with the concept of blessing, is the previous devastation is synonymous with being cursed. Hear Moses in Deut 29:19 as he communicates the covenant to 2nd generation Israel. Death and curse are paralleled, and they are opposite of life and blessing. Thus, the reversal of our devastation is reversal of being cursed. On the GOD side, there is blessing. Watch the activity of GOD.

We were dead, but GOD made us alive and raised us! But the power is who these actions were done with, Christ! Both of these compound words connect to GOD raising Jesus up in 1:20. We are no longer zombies, but are spiritually alive. How? The same power GOD used to wake Jesus, we are now alive.

In addition, GOD also seated us with Christ. In other words, no raising or exalting Jesus, these blessings of spiritual life and exaltation don’t exist for humanity. And being seated with Christ, we are no longer subject to wrath. Jesus is pleasing to GOD, and the righteousness of GOD. Ro 5:9 says we are saved from the wrath of GOD through him!! Seated with him then avoids that built up anger of GOD. Additionally, seated with him, we are no longer enslaved to the forceful influences of the world, satan, and self. Paul has already confirmed that he is above every authority and name, including yours.

Although we deserved it (v. 5)

GOD did all this, although everybody fully deserved it. Paul repeats the fact that they were dead, GOD did all this, which highlights the fact that we didn’t deserve it whatsoever!!

Because His mercy outweighed his wrath (v. 4) (What would make GOD do such a thing?)

What could move GOD to do such a thing for people who were his enemies and so contrary to him, fully deserving the out-pour of his wrath? Because his mercy outweighed his wrath!!!

Because He loves us that much (v. 4) (What would make GOD do such a thing?)

What drove GOD to mount up that much mercy and dispense it on people who were dead and abominable to him? Because of how great his love is!! His love for humanity reached deep into his pockets of mercy!

To demonstrate how much grace he has toward us (v. 7) (What would make GOD do such a thing?)

What purpose? GOD has the future in mind. He plans to demonstrate the boundlessness of his grace toward us. Which suggests that GOD has so much grace that we haven’t and won’t even come to full terms with until ages to come.

Conclusion: If you are in Christ, you should have a greater grasp and appreciation for and praise to GOD, knowing that GOD reversed your condition from death to life. Your words should no longer be “That’s who I am” in reference to fleshly nature, but always “That’s who I was!!!”. BUT GOD!!! If you are not in Christ, can you not hear the devastation if you haven’t crossed “BUT GOD”! If you’re not in Christ, you can’t truthfully say “BUT GOD” with respect to your spiritual life and salvation. With out the phrase “BUT GOD”, you can’t truthfully claim “That’s who I was”, but only “That’s who I am”. “I AM DEAD”, “I AM DESTINED FOR WRATH”. How can this change occur for you too? Ephesians 1:13 says these people believed in the good news about Jesus, that is that he gave his life for humanity, but GOD raised him to life and exalted him (1:19-23). When you believe the message, it should move you to obey, which includes repentance and confession. But more specific alignment with language in this passage, I want you to hear a parallel passage: Col 2:11-13. Notice the “with him” phrases. Buried and raised In Baptism!! The circumcision of Christ.