Made Alive
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Ephesians 2:1-10
Ephesians 2:1-10
All month we have been memorizing Eph 2:1-10 and I wanted to put it all together for us.
We’re going to read all the the memory verses together let’s start with the first one.
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
What does it mean we were dead in transgressions and sins? Well the Bible tells us that all of humanity was “in Adam”
1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die...” and
Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—”
Paul when he’s writing to the Ephesians is speaking of our spiritual death. We were not born alive to God, able to please him, or do any holy good work. Instead we’re separated from God because of transgressions and sins. Paul is using two different words here. transgressions and Sins are similar but not the same. The words transgressions here might be better called trespasses which you might already understand a bit more. You know what it means to trespass in the sense of being an unwanted person on another’s property. The way you get onto anyone’s property is by crossing the boarder to their property. In other words you’re crossing the line. Trespasses or transgressions here is an act that crosses the line. It might be intentional or unintentional but it still crosses the line. Sins on the other hand is a term used of an archer or spear-thrower that just means to miss the mark. You could also use it to mean someone fell short of a goal they were trying to accomplish. This is generally used as a term that spoke of our condition as fallen humanity. We aren’t at the fullness of God’s intention for us, we’ve fallen short, or missed the mark. So transgressions is generally a specific act of crossing the line and sin is a failure to live up to God’s perfect standard. Paul is likely using both words here to paint us a picture of the completeness of our death to God. We are dead not only because “For as in Adam all die...” but also because “death spread to all men because all had sinned.” We have both inherited a dead spirit and have crossed the line while falling short of perfection.
Paul goes on though expanding this.
in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
Be encouraged church we’re speaking about the situation you used to be in… if you have loved and trusted in the Lord and are part of His kingdom. This also makes clear who the church isn’t. The church isn’t the ones who follow the ways of the world.
The worldviews that I’ve experienced outside of Christianity can be categorized into 3 buckets.
The humanists who don’t care about and don’t need any god - humanity just needs to continue to evolve society to be better and better.
The unknown god of morality is another, they believe some god exists they may have a specific one in mind, they might not. They think people should be good like most world religions teach and good people go to heaven when they die.
Lastly there are the relativists who might also fall into the other two categories as well but that’s their truth and you can have a different perspective and that’s your truth.
Those are the ways of the world we live in today. But that’s not the only way those who aren’t The Church are characterized. They’re also the followers of the ruler of the kingdom of the air. If it was a kingdom of the earth we would see someone physically on the earth in a position of rulership, we don’t because we’re talking about the air, or if we put it another way in the spiritual realm that is unseen but still touches this world. The ruler that controls and shifts those “ways of the world” and it’s a reference to the devil and his rule. It’s why later Paul tells the Ephesians in
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
The enemies are not of this world but they are pulling it’s strings.
The devil is the spirit who is “now at work in those who are disobedient.”
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
And the unbelievers do his desires as Jesus reveals when speaking to the Pharisees in
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. ...
And indeed there is no one here that wasn’t at one time of the world.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
Now we need to step back and deal with this churchy word that we used here. Flesh, sometimes we talk about things and forget that’s not really part of our normal conversations but church uses this word like we all know what it means. For the sake of our kids and those who just aren’t up on your churchese when the bible uses the word Flesh it’s using a word that does literally mean flesh, like your muscle, skin and bones, the physical parts that make up your body. That’s generally not what it means though, usually it means the sinful and self centered things we desire that lead us away from God. Pleasure, wealth, power, indulgence, you name it.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
So it’s usually possible to just swap ‘flesh’ for ‘sinful nature’ and things will make sense. So here we are reminded that we used to also be among them gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. And finishing verse 3 we also see that “Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.”
There is a remedy for that position of being part of the world, a solution to living by the desires of the flesh, a cure for the condition we have all been in. Our next memory verse was Eph 2:4-5 which says, say it with me;
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—it is by grace you have been saved.
This is not just great news, it’s the good news, the gospel. God has a great love for us. We see that is the opening line of John 3:16
For God so loved the world ...
This is what Paul talks about in Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
and what John expresses for the greatness of God’s love in 1 John 4:9-10
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
God is also rich in mercy. Mercy is not getting a punishment you deserve. We deserved death and punishment for our sins. We did not deserve the redemption God gave to us. We didn’t earn the favor we have with him and yet what does it say God did? he “made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions” This is grace, receiving the things we don’t deserve.
It is by grace you have been saved.
The next memory verse we’ve learned is vs 6 say it with me
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
Of course we couldn’t be raised up if we weren’t already somewhere below. Like we’ve seen we were born into a world of sin and death. When God raised us up, we were raised up through the air which is the realm of the devil beyond to the heavenly realms. I’m speaking here metaphorically or spiritually if you will.
When we’re saved we aren’t bodily taken away to heaven on the spot. Instead we have been identified with Christ not with this world or the ruler of the kingdom of the air. The verbs here raised and seated are all past tense, or completed actions. Our position with God is, even right now, seated with Him. We share in a victory Christ has already won. Even in a world where we still have struggles and battles to fight this verse is an assurance of victory. The way we live is in a life of victory. We can be confident in all things that Christ has already been victorious and we are with Him, and will eternally be with Christ Jesus. This grace and love for us is not for us alone but for all to see God’s glory.
in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Here we’re getting into the purpose of salvation, we’ve seen how we’ve come from the fallen world and because of God’s mercy he has saved us from the wrath we deserve and because he has such grace beyond measure he has blessed us past our comprehension. When we see how much we deserve from our transgressions and sins and then how much we don’t deserve from our unworthiness, yet he has done all of these things for us, we glorify God. Even this magnificent salvation though is not about us. It shows the “incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” not just to us, not just to the rest of the world, but to the rest of eternity. We, our salvation, is a testimony to the world and the rest of time. Yes it’s wonderful that we have been saved but how much greater is it that God’s glory is shown to all around us and for all time.
The next Memory Verse say it with me
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.
Let’s break down these verses a into some smaller pieces.
“It is by grace you have been saved.” Meaning the cause of salvation is that of God’s work alone which you and I did not deserve.
“through faith” is the means of salvation; in other words, faith is the God-given way we receive salvation. It is how we are joined with Christ. Faith being a word synonymous with trust.
This verse clarifies that the cause of our salvation is God’s grace (getting what we don’t deserve) and the way in which we receive it is the faith (trust) we have in Jesus.
“And this is not from yourselves” In many ways we often forget this but the rest of verse 8 and 9 emphasis it.
“it is the gift of God” if you earned it, it’s not a gift, if you deserve it, it’s not a gift. A gift is only ever something freely given.
“not by works, so that no one can boast.” Works does not mean your job. A work in this context is any physical, intellectual, or moral means to attain salvation. There is nothing you can do physically, intellectually, or morally that obtains salvation. If you could then you would be able to boast that you saved yourself. Even if it is in part. I don’t want to be misunderstood here because I certainly misunderstood this for a time myself.
I had a friend since about middle-school that was an atheist. We were fairly similar in our interests in science and computers. We’d play computer games with each other, hang out at one another’s house every now and then but the school bus is where we had our deepest conversations. I would reason with him. I gave him the best arguments against a materialistic worldview and how science cannot explain the things of life even when it’s good at explaining so many other things. He would have rebuttals and we would go back and forth different days about these things. I really thought that if only I can prove that God has the answers and science cannot answer them, he’ll believe in Jesus. I will have made a convert and done a good thing for the kingdom. These conversations lasted into high school and the craziest thing happened that completely baffled me. Our church launched something called Club412 it stood for 2 Tim 4:1-2
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
This place became the first entirely Christian metal venue in all of Dallas - Fort Worth. The bands that played there were only bands that were Christian. For many years it was quite successful and it shaped me a lot in many ways. But one night after a band finished playing but before they got off the stage they gave simple gospel presentation. This wasn’t particularly unique or new many bands had done this at different points in time. I don’t remember this particular one but the gist of it was usually something like this. “Listen we aren’t special because we’re in a band and get to play here to all of you. We fall short of the glory of God and sin like everyone else. We need God just like you. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” If you want eternal life pray with us “God I am a sinner that needs to be saved. I know you have died for my sins and I want you to be the Lord of my life. Amen” If you prayed that with us please come see us over in the lounge.” Then they’d head off stage. Now my friend was there and heard the Gospel and responded. What is going on with that? Well the grace of God is why he got saved, but it was through faith that he came into that salvation.
Just as God opened his heart that night he does that for each of us. Salvation is a work of God. As we go out and interact with the world, we must keep in mind that it is not our fancy words, well crafted arguments, or clever reasoning that saves, but God’s Spirit working through His Word.
Faith is not something we generate. So where does faith come from? Well it just told us it is a gift from God. So God is the one that gives us our faith but we also know that one way God does that is through his word.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
That is, the gospel message. So faith came to my friend when he heard the word about Christ. This should remind us our priority in sharing with the lost should be focused on the Gospel message. It’s not wrong to have an answer for the reason you believe like 1 Peter 3:15 says but if we’re telling others about Jesus we should actually be telling people about Jesus. This is why I always make sure to work into a conversation where people are asking me for answers some kind of statement that includes a gospel message like
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
Lastly we have this week’s memory verse let’s read it together.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
The product that comes out of our life is the handiwork of God. He is the maker, shaper, and former of our Christian life. He has redeemed us because he loves us, he has given us our faith that steps out into life with a trust that we rely on to do good works. It is because we are created in Christ Jesus we have a purpose that is good works. Good works we learned earlier are not a way that we can attain salvation but they do still have a place in our life. Once we have been made new we are called to do good works, it’s the fruit of our salvation not its seed. This is what lead James to tells us faith without works is dead, in other words it’s not a living real faith at all. All of creation’s purpose is to glorify God and now we are able as new creatures in Christ to Glorify God as it says in
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
And God provides for us even so far as to set up the works for us to do. We need to trust the Lord for all we are and do so that we might bring glory to God.
Because of God’s great mercy we aren’t defined by our transgressions and sins but we are identified with Christ. We are made alive. How is your life reflecting your new nature? What good works has God been preparing for you to do in His name?
Remember
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
