“Death to Life.” (The meaning of salvation by grace through faith) Ephesians 2:1–10

“Death to Life.”

(The meaning of salvation by grace through faith)

Ephesians 2:1–10 (ESV)

“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.”

You were dead

And… you were dead… This means not anymore! You were once dead in what Paul says is the trespasses and sins in which you once walked.

“Dead in the trespasses and sins…” what does this mean? It refers to the most important reality of your being… your soul.

Being dead in trespasses and sins means to be blind to the truth of Jesus and deaf to the Holy Spirit and unmoved by the Word.

Why? Because no one calls out to God as Father apart from the power of the Gospel, the saving work of Christ, and the inward dwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:15–17 (ESV), “15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

Only those who have received the Spirit of God by their adoption in Christ cry out to God as Father. It is the change of all changes that Paul is writing about… the change from death to life! And, they Ephesians are no longer dead, it’s why he says “You were dead…”

“Dead in our trespasses and sins” describes the human condition and its way of life:

Enslaved to your sin nature and under the dominion of the Devil.

Nature/enslaved (under the dominion and influence of Satan and his followers)

Following the course of the world

Following the prince of the power of the air

Driven and motivated by the flesh

Doing what you selfishly desire

The language of the Bible is unmistakable concerning our condition without Christ. We are dead, not flailing and sinking toward death… we are dead.

In the grace of salvation, God doesn’t merely cast a life preserver for sinking souls to grasp. Instead, He takes those who have already drowned in the depths of the sea and breathes new life into them.

Dead does not mean that a man is drowning…

As R.C. Sproul says:

“The analogy is that fallen man is like a man who can’t swim, and he’s cast adrift into the ocean. He’s gone under twice already. He’s going now down under for the third time. His head is already under the water. He’s got one arm stretched out, and only the top part of his fingers are above the surface of the water. And unless somebody throws a life preserver—and they better throw it accurately, that preserver has to come right up against his hand—he most certainly will perish forever. And so, God throws the life preserver right against his fingers. But if that man doesn’t grasp the life preserver on his own strength, he will drown…. See, that’s not what I find in Scripture. I don’t find saving grace being offered to people who are sick unto death in a hospital room. That saving drug is given and administered to a corpse, ladies and gentlemen, who is already pronounced dead, who cannot on his own strength even respond to the gospel. What God did for you, if you’re in Christ, is that after you went down the third time and you were stone cold dead at the bottom of the sea, God the Holy Spirit dove into the water, picked you up out of the water, took you up on the shore, and resuscitated you and brought you alive again through the power of His creation. You are a new creation in Christ. And that’s grace.” - R.C. Sproul

What motivates God’s saving grace?

God acts on our behalf because of his mercy, love, kindness, and glory.

Ephesians 2:4-7

“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.”

Ephesians 2:8-10

“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 is more than forgiveness.

When we speak of salvation, we need to make sure that we know this is more than simply forgiveness of sin. Forgiveness doesn’t = transformation.

‘Salvation’ is more than forgiveness. It is deliverance from the death, slavery and wrath described in verses 1–3. Indeed, it includes the totality of our new life in Christ, together with whom we have been made alive, exalted and seated in the heavenly realm. ‘Grace’ is God’s free and undeserved mercy towards us, and ‘faith’ is the humble trust with which we receive it for ourselves. - John Stott

God delivers us from death and the snare of sin

God delivers us from the consequence of our sin

God makes us alive, He creates us… like he fashioned Adam from the clay God makes His people through the work of His grace, love, mercy, kindness, and power.

Like breathing breath into Adam’s lifeless body, through the work of the Holy Spirit God makes us new and our lives truly begin with our faith in Christ and our salvation.

Salvation equals life.

It’s more than belief

It’s more than understanding

It’s more than forgiveness

It’s being alive together with Christ.

It’s not alive on your own… it’s alive with Christ.

You are alive by His power

You are alive because of His sacrifice

You are alive because of His love

Romans 5:6–10 (ESV),

“6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

And people who are alive look like it.

Our works don’t save us, but our works are evidence that God has made us alive with Christ.

Ephesians 2:8-10

“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.”

God has saved you to walk with Christ in the good works He has planned for you to do.

This is where Paul brings the contrast between dead in our trespasses and sins to bear with being alive in Christ.

If are alive with Christ then… you were dead in trespasses and sins. And if you are alive with Christ then you are alive in your works and motivations.

James 2:14–17 (ESV) says,

“14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” - James 2:14-17

In the past you were trapped and living according to your flesh, the world, and the devil. But, now, because of the saving work of God in your life you are alive and living according to the Spirit and accomplishing the works that God has prepared for you to do.

Hebrews 11:1–2 (ESV) says that our faith is the assurance of the evidence of God’s unseen work in our lives. But, the way the writer of Hebrews talks about faith is in a way that is more than a belief… it’s belief that is seen in action, or as James calls it works, or s Paul calls them “good works” in Ephesians 2.

Hebrews 11:1-2, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.”

The good works that Paul is referencing are signs of life. We have seen earlier the signs of death.

4 Signs of Life:

Confident Faith- Justification- Faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God

1 John 5:10–12 (ESV)

10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Transformed Works- Transformation- Walking according to the Word and the Spirit rather than the flesh and the devil.

Commitment to Community- Affirmation and Edification- Those who love love God also love the brothers and sisters.

Treasure Christ

Above all things is Christ and our live for Him. He is who and what we treasure. It is the treasuring of Christ that allows for the blown and losses that come in the world.

Remember that God has made you alive with Christ. By God’s grade it is your faith in Christ that saves… Upon tasting of God’s goodness and grace in Christ you could not help but give up your life to have Christ.

Like the parable Jesus tells in Matthew 13:44 (ESV), “44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

How do you know if someone is alive with Christ? They give up everything else to have Him… and it shows in the way they live and in their relationships with others.

Luke 9:57–62 (ESV)

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:23–26 (ESV)

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

What about you?

Are you dead in your trespasses and sin?

Are you alive with Christ?

Salvation is the gift of God, motivated by His mercy, kindness, and love… you cannot and will not earn the grace and forgiveness of God.

You cannot make up for your sin by doing good things after the fact. You cannot store up a treasure of good works that God draws from to earn your forgiveness. Nope…. You cannot earn it and you cannot make up for it.

The only way that your sin can be atoned for or made up for, is through the work of Christ the sacrifice and death of Christ. You have to trust in his merits and not your own… it’s more than asking for forgiveness, it’s breathing in life and being transformed by the love and grace of God.