Positions - Eph 2:1-22

Our 3 Positions in Christ & Christ’s 2 Positions in us.

Eph 2:1 “and you He made alive...”

stope there

the first position we have with God is alive

1. Alive (v.1-9)

1st position we have in God is alive.

this is awesome because we normally don’t put much thought

that being alive is a position we have with God.

that before Christ our position before God was dead.

the Bible teaches that there are 3 deaths:

physical death (cf. Gen. 5)

2. spiritual death (cf. Gen. 2:17; 3; Isa. 59:2; Rom. 7; 10–11; James 1:15)

3. eternal death, called “the second death” (cf. Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8).

Romans 6:23 NKJV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

because of our sin we inherit all 3 deaths.

in fact verses 1-3 we read why we are dead to God.

Ephesians 2:1–3 NKJV

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

How were we dead?

In trespasses - sining not just against God but also against others. (v.1)

2. In sins - against God. (v.1)

if you hang around the church long enough you will hear that the definition of sin is “to mis the mark”

however the hebrew literal definition is more interesting to me.

sin or in Hebrew (ha-tat) - to miss the way.

missing the mark and missing the way is very different.

missing the mark on a bullseye is very different then aiming and shooting in the wrong way or direction.

on top of that Jesus said

John 14:6 NKJV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus being a Jew and very aware of the definition of sin… said He is the WAY

teaching me that any other way but Jesus is sin.

3. walked according to the course of this world (v.2)

4. walked according to prince of the power of the air (whose spirit works in sons of disobedience). (v.2)

5. we conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh (v.3)

its says we do this by fulfilling

the desires of the flesh and mind (v.3)

teaching me that life is found in not following the desires of my flesh, and mind.

heart is deceitful (Jer 17:9)

“as Jon Bloom says “ we must follow God’s Heart not ours.

6. naturally children of wrath… - reference to Adam.

Romans 5:12 NKJV

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Psalm 51:5 NKJV

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

if left up to you, how would you save yourself from these 3 deaths?

how can a dead man revive himself

as it says in the pirates of the Caribbean ride..

“dead men tell no tales”

euongelon / good news

our verse here is about Jesus making us alive from spiritual death.

Ephesians 2:4–10 NKJV

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

.v4. “but God”

who is rich in mercy

that has a great love that He loves us

even though we were dead to Him… made us alive. with Jesus.

how

by grace (v.5)

raised up with Jesus (v.6)

able to sit together with Jesus in heaven (v.6)

why would God do all this for us?

v.7)

to show the riches of His grace and His kindness to every generation

showing us that salvation is all God.

there is nothing we can boast that was our efforts as v. 9 says.

and not only does He save us but we have 2 positions in God’s Kingdom

and Christ is to have 2 positions in us.

2. His Workers (workmanship) (v.10-13)

Ephesians 2:10–13 NKJV

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Romans to Philemon: Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, Volume 3 The Merciful Saving Action of God (2:4–10)

Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai (first century A.D.) is reported in the Mishnah to have customarily said, “If thou has wrought much in the Law claim not merit for thyself, for to this end was thou created.”25

“if you do a lot of work from God’s word, dont give yourself credit because you were created to do this work.”

1. Christ’s Position in Us - Peace (Eph 2:14-18)

Ephesians 2:14–18 NKJV

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Paul goes back to talking about the positions we have in Christ

3. Citizens (Eph 2:19)

Ephesians 2:19 NKJV

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

2. Christ’s Position in us Chief Cornerstone (Eph 2:20-22)

Ephesians 2:20–22 NKJV

20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.