Ephesians 2

Introduction

Last time I taught, we finished chapter 1 of Ephesians.

Ephesians is known as the crown of St Paul’s writings.

Ephesians is known as the crown of St Paul’s writings.

• Others say this is one of the most significant documents ever written.

• Raymond Brown, a Bible scholar, says that “Only Romans could match Ephesians as a candidate for exercising the most influence on Christian thought and spirituality.”

• This letter is split into two distinct halves.. 1-3 and 4-6

• 1-3 being the theological or doctrinal section

• 4-6 being the ethical

Part 2

We talked about how there isn’t a calling higher than any other.

• How, whatever you are called to, that is your highest calling.

• Also, use the platform that God has given you and the voice you have to preach the gospel.

• How we are chosen by God. You don’t choose God, God chooses you.

• We have every spiritual blessing in Christ, they are not just future, but are present for us today.

• We are redeemed.. We are now free from sin.

• and many other things...

Now...

We are getting into a famous passage of scripture.

Sin’s Work Against Us 1-3

V.1

I love this...

And You!

Paul isn’t speaking to just anyone.. He is speaking to those who have been saved.

He Made alive who were dead...

You were dead in your sins… Not physically speaking, but spiritual.

Before you are saved, you are unable to understand and unable to appreciate spiritual things.

Before you are saved, you can do nothing to please God!

Why? Because everything you do has no part of God in it.

“Just as a person physically dead does not respond to physical stimuli, so a person spiritually dead is unable to respond to the spiritual things.”

The dead person doesn’t long for food, doesn’t hear things going on, has no pain… He is just dead… Same thing with the inner man.

One who is spiritually dead has no communication with God, you are separated from God.

Sin requires payment...

V. 2

This was the beginning of man’s spiritual death...

In the garden, God said, “you’ll die if you eat the fruit from the tree” then comes that little devil saying, “You won’t truly die.”

Then what happens? They eat from the tree, and sinned.

The sin wasn’t eating the fruit, the sin was disobedience. The fruit wasn’t evil, Adam willfully disobeying God, was the downfall of man.

Since this time, from Adam eating the fruit, mankind has lived in disobedience to God.

There are 3 forces that encourage man in his disobedience - the world, the devil, and the flesh.

The World:

The world, not physically, but the mindset of the world, the system of the world puts pressure on everyone.

It pressures everyone to conform to its image, we see that today.

Christians are being attacked because they aren’t conforming to the things of the Lord.

Christians are being attacked because they don’t accept the things of the world.

If I were to go to a LGBTQ+ rally, and say that I don’t support you guys, but I love you… They would attack me, they would be all over me…

The world has their set of ideals, and they want everyone to conform to its image, and if you don’t they will crucify you.

But, we know! “Say we know” We know that Jesus was not of this world, and neither are His people. We have a home, and it’s with Him… If you are alive in Christ.

The Devil

He works in the sons of disobedience..

This doesn’t mean that he is personally working in the life of each unbeliever, he’s not even working in your life… Satan is a created being, unlike God.

He does have influence, since he has power over the world system . And he can have influence in the life of believers, if the believers allow them.

You can have as much or as little of Jesus as you want… It’s the same for the world.. You can have as much or as little influence in your life.

The devil is a liar, .

It started with a lie, “you won’t really die” and he has not changed since then, why would he need to? It’s still working today.

We can’t fall for lies of the enemy… And if you know someone living in his lies, you need to give that person the gospel.

The Flesh

The flesh isn’t the skin… but Paul is talking about the fallen nature of man.

Why does a dog act like a Dog? Because of their nature.

Why does a bird act like it does? Because of the nature.

Why does a sinner behave like a sinner? Because he has the nature of a sinner.

We aren’t sinners when we know what sin is… We aren’t sinners when we have knowledge of sin… You are a sinner the moment you are conceived.

I always wonder why Christians are surprised by the way the world acts… When they watch the news, they’re surprised at the garbage going on… How many of you guys are surprised at what people are like?

You shouldn’t be surprised… The world, devil, and flesh have a huge influence.. So it’s no surprise the way people are, they don’t have a new nature… They don’t have the Spirit of God.

V. 3

The lost person, the sinner, loves to please their desires and whatever they want.

They are depraved…

Depraved simply means, that they are incapable of doing anything to merit salvation or meet the high standards of God’s holiness.

If you are saved, you were once depraved… The only reason why you are saved now is because God called.

Now, of course sinners do good things...

but they are not able to do anything to please God.

The unsaved person is condemned already...

The judgment has been passed, but God...

But God… Is waiting to unleash His wrath so that others may be saved..

.

You cannot do anything for your salvation, man cannot do anything for salvation, BUT GOD, in HIS grace steps in and makes salvation possible.

BUT GOD - two words.. Making a world of difference.

GOd’s work for us 4-9

V.4

I love this verse soo much..

One of God’s intrinsic attributes is attributes… God is love.

When love is related to us , sinners, it becomes grace and mercy.

God is rich in mercy

Rich in Grace

These riches make it possible for us to be saved...

We aren’t saved by God’s love.. We are saved by His Grace and mercy.

In his mercy, he doesn’t give us what we deserve..

In His grace, He gives us what we do no deserve.

All this is made possible because of Jesus’, the God-Man, death on the cross..

On the cross, you see God’s hatred and at the same time, you see His love.

V. 5

God loved you even when you were dead in trespasses…

God loved you at your worst...

Before Jesus’ death, there was really no communication with God, unless you were Abraham and those guys…

In order to have forgiveness of sins, you had to sacrifice, but it wasn’t a cleansing of sins, it was just a covering over the sin.

We cannot communicate with God, because we were dead… But, Jesus’ death broke down the wall of separation and made a way for us to have communication with Him.

Now, if you want to communicate with God, you have to be made alive.

the act of God, making a dead person - alive, is an act of Grace.. Hence Paul says, by grace you have been saved.

V.6

You are made alive.. And you have been raised up...

This is speaking of a spiritual resurrection.

So, if Christ dwells in you, your position is death.. your position is “in heavenly places in Christ.”

Someone said, “Like Lazarus, we have been called from the grace to sit with Christ and enjoy His fellowship ().

V.7

I like the way the NLT states this verse.

New Living Translation Chapter 2

So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

Chuck Smith said, God has called you to be His child. You know what that means? That means throughout the endless ages to come you are going to be dwelling with God in His eternal kingdom as God is revealing unto you the exceeding richness of His mercy and of His kindness towards you through Christ Jesus.

The psalmist said, "As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high is God's mercies towards those who fear Him." And God throughout eternity is going to be revealing the exceeding greatness of His mercy and of His kindness, these things that He has given and provided and done for you through Jesus Christ. You will never discover it all. Eternity isn't long enough. Throughout all eternity, God's grace and love and mercy being revealed.

V.8-9

In v. 4-7 we saw God’s work for us..

In v. 8-9, we see His work in us.

Some people think that it’s their faith that attributes to salvation.

Nope… Paul says specifically that even the faith it took to be saved is not of ourselves. Why? Dead men don’t have faith.

That’s why Paul says there is none who seek after God.

So what part did you have in salvation?

None.. You were chosen before the foundation of the world, and the faith you exercised to receive Christ, was faith that God put in your heart. That’s why in Jesus said no man comes to me unless the Father draws him.

Salvation is totally due to God’s grace. We are worshippers now, and eternally, because His work in us and for us is amazing.

Meaning.... There will be no one in heaven who thinks they deserve to be there.

No one contributed anything to their salvation… Jesus did it all. So all to Him we owe.

V.10

The work workmanship is translated “poiema” which is where we get poem.

We are God’s poetry.

it means, that which is made, a manufactured product.

Meaning.. Our conversion is not the end, it’s just the beginning.

God continues to work on us and in us, to develop us into who He wants us to be.

His purpose is to make us more like Christ .

God is equipping us for our walk and work here.

Sometimes we don’t think we’re impressive at all...

Look in the mirror and consider what God had to work with.

We are seeds.. We can grow, but you have to stay connected to the Living Water, which is Jesus.

People will always hate on Christians, because so many of us are hypocrites, and hateful, which isn’t Christlike...

However, we can show people what Jesus is like, if you are walking with Him, and if you let Him work in your life.