Knowing our Past is fruitful to Seeing our Grace

Ephesians 2:1-10

How often have we heard the phrase, “Why do we always have to bring up the past?” We often associate the past with mistakes, regrets, or pain. We try to forget it, move beyond it, and bury it deep. Yet, God’s Word frequently calls us to reflect on the past—not to shame or condemn us, but to help us see the Grace that is before us” That is our title for today.

God calls us to remember where we came from and how it shapes our present and future in Christ. Ephesians chapter 2 we left off with our eyes open to see we are treasured and to see God‘s power to raise the dead. That same power that raised Jesus from the Dead. I belive we called it Resurrection power. So let now look at chapter 2

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. (Eph 2:1-3)

To write this letter you must have a relationship with someone to go straight to the point. The Apostle Paul had met and spent significant time with the church in Ephesus before he wrote the Book of Ephesians. Paul’s connection with the Ephesian church is well documented in the Book of Acts. Paul is speaking not only from a relationship point but also from someone who has experienced this firsthand. I could only imagine writing this letter with the vivid image of his Journey to Damascus. So we see the reality of his past.

1. The Reality of Our Past (Ephesians 2:1-3)

Paul begins by addressing the reality of our past—our spiritual death. We were once dead in sin, living according to the ways of the world, and bound by our fleshly desires. No one is exempt from this; we all were once slaves to sin. Verse 1 as for you you were dead in your transgressions and sins in which you used to live. This is an important reality. To truly understand who we are in Christ we need to recognize who we were without Him. “We were dead” in the Bible there is more than one kind of death and death is not extinction but a separation physical death is a separation of the person from the body, in 2 Cor. 5:8 the bible tells us that to be absent in the body is to be present with the Lord. Physical death is a separation. but verse one is about spiritual death, the separation of you from God. You were dead in your transgressions and sins all the junk every lie, act of greed, lust, arrogance, hypocrisy, hatred all of it separated you from God. What did it do It killed us. verse 2 says “You lived in it”. The Greek word here is to walk your every step when you follow the ways of this world. I’m not saying you’re every move was wicked. I’m saying your walk gave you away. There was this guy I knew when I was in High School. He had a foul mouth. One day I was over at his house not sure why, but we were sitting there talking with his mom and a cuss word slipped out. He acted shocked and said excuse me Mom. She said boy don’t act like I don’t know. Let’s stop pretending and begin living in reality. When we follow the world and the devil, that means we are separated from God. The lies cheating, rage, greed that’s dead stuff and that makes you dead.

Verse 3 all of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts notice it’s not about one action here or there it’s what followed after our walk. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. he says all of us were by nature deserving of wrath we deserved wrath. Underline this passage so next time you think you deserve something think of this passage.

So why bring this up? Why does Paul remind the Ephesians of their past, their failures, and their distance from God?

- Humility: We are reminded of who we were without Christ. We were not just "good people who made mistakes"—we were spiritually dead, unable to save ourselves. This humbles us and prevents pride from creeping into our hearts.

- Gratitude: By looking at the depth of our brokenness, we can better appreciate the grace and mercy we have received. If we forget the past, we risk forgetting how much God has done for us. With these attributes it allows us to show empathy towards others. There is a church that elders and the requirement to become one is that you had to be either homeless or incarcerated because that is the population they serve. We need to share our common old self so that we all can work together on our new-self

2. A Present and Future Rooted in Grace (Ephesians 2:8-10)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph 2:8-9)

Here is where we see grace. Our past is important because it emphasizes that our salvation is not something we earned. We didn’t deserve it, and we didn’t work for it. God, in His love and mercy, gave it to us freely through Christ. This should give us both peace and purpose.

-Peace: We no longer need to be haunted by our past. We can face it head-on, knowing that it is covered by the grace of God. Our past no longer defines us—God’s grace does.

- Purpose: Verse 10 says that we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Our past was filled with sin, but now we are called to live lives that reflect God’s grace and mercy. The good works we do are not a way of earning salvation but a response to the salvation we have already received.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions… (Eph 2:4-5)

3. The Turning Point: “But God…” (Ephesians 2:4-7)

Here, Paul shifts from the painful reality of our past to the glorious providence of God. In two words, "But God," everything changes. Despite our sins, despite our rebellion, God steps in with mercy and love. He did not leave us in our state of spiritual death; He raised us to life through Christ.

This is the reason we bring up the past—it highlights the extraordinary love of God that intervened when we were utterly hopeless. The transformation from death to life isn’t something we can attribute to our efforts. It’s all God. The phrase "But God" is often used to highlight moments where a situation seems dire or impossible, but then a divine intervention or change occurs, altering the outcome. The phrase emphasizes God's power to transform situations that seem hopeless, offering a reminder of faith, hope, and the belief that God can step in when all seems lost. Look at what the apostle Pauls says to the church in Corinth 1 Corinthians 15:9-10

1 Corinthians 15:9–10 (NLT)

For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.

Conclusion:

So, why do we always have to bring up the past?

1. Because it’s in remembering where we came from that we see the power of God’s grace.

2. By looking at the depth of our brokenness we can truly appreciate the height of God’s love.

3. To ensure we don’t let our Christianity become comfortable that it places you back in your coffin”

John Newton was a man who lived in the 1700s, known for his wickedness and sinful ways in his early years. He was a sailor, and by his own admission, he lived in rebellion against God. As a young man, he was involved in the African slave trade, overseeing ships that transported enslaved people—a job that reflected the depths of his moral decay.

For many years, Newton lived a life of indulgence, disregarding the value of others and living in complete opposition to anything good or godly. He described himself as "a blasphemer" and a man who was "lost." Spiritually, Newton was like the person described in *Ephesians 2:1-3*: dead in transgressions and sins, following the ways of the world, enslaved by sinful desires.

However, in the midst of a severe storm at sea, Newton experienced a turning point. Faced with death, he cried out to God for mercy. In that moment, he began to sense that God had not abandoned him, despite all he had done. This was his “But God” moment (*Ephesians 2:4-5*), when the grace of God intervened in his life.

Newton didn’t immediately become a saint after that night, but it marked the beginning of a transformation. Over time, God worked in his heart, leading him to repentance and new life in Christ. Newton went from being a man who profited from the suffering of others to a man who actively fought against the very system he had once participated in. He became an advocate for the abolition of slavery and was instrumental in the movement that led to its eventual abolition in England.

One of the most remarkable fruits of Newton’s transformation was the hymn he penned: **"Amazing Grace."** The words of this song reflect his personal experience with God's grace, particularly the lines:

*“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.”*

Like the message of *Ephesians 2:8-9*, Newton understood that his salvation was not something he earned. It was the gift of God, not a result of his works or goodness, but purely because of God’s grace.

John Newton’s past was horrific, but he didn’t hide from it. He didn’t avoid the memories of who he had been because it was through those memories that the power of God’s grace became evident. By bringing up his past, he could testify to the immense mercy and forgiveness of God. His past became a testimony of transformation—a life that was once spiritually dead was now alive in Christ, created to do good works (*Ephesians 2:10*).

John Newton’s story reminds us that no matter how dark or sinful our past may be, God’s grace is greater. His mercy reaches us even in our deepest rebellion. Like Newton, we are all recipients of God’s unearned grace, and our past becomes a powerful testimony to His redemptive power.

Through God's grace, we are not defined by our former selves, but by the new life we have in Christ. This story illustrates how God can use even the worst parts of our history to reveal His love and transform us for His glory.

As we move forward in our Christian walk, let us never forget where God brought us from. Not to live in shame or guilt, but to live in gratitude, humility, and purpose. Our past is not a weight that drags us down—it’s a testimony of God’s power and mercy, and it propels us into a future of grace-filled good works. I leave you with this question

Do you see Grace working in your life?

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, We come before You with grateful hearts, acknowledging that every step of our past—whether in joy or struggle—has been woven into Your perfect plan for our lives. Help us to see our history through the lens of Your grace, understanding that our past is not a source of shame or regret, but a testimony of Your faithfulness.

Lord, open our eyes to the ways You have been working, even in moments when we couldn’t see or understand. Let the lessons of our past bear fruit in our present, shaping us into the people You’ve called us to be. May we trust that each experience, whether broken or beautiful, has been used by You to reveal Your mercy and love.

Teach us to walk forward, rooted in the knowledge that Your grace has covered every misstep and that Your plans for us are good. Thank You, Father, for the growth You’ve brought through every season of our lives, and for the grace that continues to lead us into our future. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.