Made alive in Christ (Eph 2:1-10)

1. Made alive together with Christ (v.1-5)

After the apostle Paul prays for the Ephesian believers that God may have the eyes of their hearts enlightened, to know the hope to which they are called, the glorious riches of the inheritance of the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe. He says this power is according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead.

He reminds them of God’s transforming power that he wroght in all those who believe. This prayer reveals the loftiness of the saints and the power that is at work in them that believe.

Chapter 2 starts with the conjunction “And”, this means the author continues with the same thought and expression from the preceding verses. The expression expands on the prayer that God may give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowlegde of the God, who is the Father of our our lord Jesus Christ.

He wants the believers to know that this God loved them while they were still dead in their trespasses and sins following the course of this world.

“dead” as metaphor for completely helpless, not able to save ourselves- God took the initiative. but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8).

Salvation is a result of God’s love for his people. We were entangled with all powers of wickedness and evil desires “following the prince and the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in sons of disobedience (V.2)”.

Deadness here can mean a state without hope, no power or ability to escape the bondage of sin. Now, we may argue whether deadness mean no ability to reach out to God in faith, or no ability to respond to God’s call which is the Gospel. But what is clear in this text is that God provided a way to life in that we were made alive with Christ, “By nature we were children of wrath, like the rest of mankind (V.7)”.

This way is provided for as a gift from God by grace through faith. The force behind this gift is the love of God for his people “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses made us alive in Christ (V.9)”

This imagery of deadness and the emphasis on salvation by grace through faith is repeated many times in the writings of the apostle Paul. Let us compare how the apostle Paul writes in Colossians 2:11–13 “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,”.

Observations:

Paul is not expansive in explaining how grace and faith comes together. The hard question here is whether Paul refers both to “grace and faith” as a gift? Eph 2:8-9 simply says:

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

We then have to look somewhere else in scripture where this is clear. Colossians 2:12 “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”

Based on what the Apostle Pauls says in V.12 of Colossians we were raised with him through faith. Note grace is not included as compared to Eph 2: 8 “for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God”.

This question is important because it allows us to determine whether this gift of salvation is given to some or can it be accesssed by all those who would put their faith in Christ.

Futher, if we compare with two other scriptures in the Apostle Paul’s writings we can see clearer in trying to answer this question:

Romans 3:21–25 “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” (note no mention of grace)

The above text clearly states that “grace” is a gift. What about “faith”?

Romans 4:1–11 “What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well,”

Verse 5 “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness”

Romans 4:16 “That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,”

There is no where in scripture where faith is refered to as gift. I believe that today if you hear his voice do not harden your heart (Hebrews 3:15 “As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”” )

We are justified by grace as a gift (colossians 2)

Faith is not a work and it is not given to some. Christ stands a sacrifice for all, in that Whomsoever believes in him will have eternal life “It depends on faith in order that the promise may rest on Grace”. Grace takes effect where there is faith.

2. We are his workmanship

The apostle Paul referes to the continuous work that God does by his Spirit through Christ. We are God’s workmanship, this workmanship is fullfilled through Christ. Galatians 2:19–21 “For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”

Workmaship means that the conquering Christ is he that makes it possible for God to work in us Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

Just as God reminds the people of Israel Deuteronomy 32:6 “Do you thus repay the Lord, you foolish and senseless people? Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you?”

When we come to Christ, God continues to work in us as his creation, we have knew godly desires, even when we fall into sin, we grieve and we repent. We no longer ruled by the prince of the power of the air!

This is the apostle Pauls prayer for the collosians:

Colossians 1:10 “so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

What I know is that faith cometh by hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. I you hear today believe! you shall be saved!

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”