"But God..."

Introduction: The necessity of knowing where we once were before we can move forward. If we refuse to look at the past, we often cannot move forward in progress. Part of the prayer of Paul here is that they would know Him. I believe that the prayer of Paul didn’t stop there at the end of chapter one. It may seem like the prayer got derailed because we see him talk about prayer at the end of chapter 3, but the in-between is Paul reminding the church who they were and who they are now. That is his prayer, that they would know Him and know the hope, the inheritance, and the power that God showed forth in Christ, is now at work in them as the church. That is essential for us as God’s people, the church, to know our past condition and our current condition now, and what changed us.

This passage also shows us the world in which we live in, and that we were in that very world ourselves. I think we all have some questions about the world we live in, and in turn, it should cause us to question ourselves as well:

Why is the world the way it is? And what about me? Was I once this way as well? And do we have any room to boast about being a Christian? Those are all very valid questions that this passage addresses, and we should heed God’s Word today, that it will affect our outlook on ourselves and the world we live in, and emphasize God’s incredible work. These verses show us in clearest form that humanity, all of it, is in desperate need of saving, of redemption, and that included us and may include you today as well.

READ PASSAGE

CTS: Because of the gracious resurrecting work of God, live your new life in Christ.

I. Who You Were (1-3)

These first three verses are a revealing of who we once were. They also show a very clear picture of humanity in general. Paul is doing the work to remind the Ephesian church, this mostly Gentile congregation, that this is who they once were. This is a description of their previous identity. It is always something that God’s people should be doing, to be reminded of our past so that it affects us now. By knowing who we once were (or for some of you, a revealing of who you are right now), it should affect us toward greater worship and greater desire to live our new identities. It should also remind us of the world we live in and remind us that we were once like everyone else. And my everyone, I mean everyone. That person you don’t like in town, your neighbor that gets on your nerves, that politician you vehemently are disgusted by, that man or woman that is in prison for crimes that are unspeakable…the list goes on. So, the text reveals our world, but even more importantly, it reveals who we once were.

I really like John Stott’s breakdown of these three verses. First, we see that we were once...

A. Dead (1-2a)

The first description of us, of who we once were (and who you are now without Christ) is not a great start. We were once dead. Here Paul is not talking about physical death. People all around us walk around today alive, and to say we were once dead would insinuate that we were in the grave before Jesus. But we know that’s not true. So what is Paul referring to here?

Paul is referring to spiritual death. This is the death that means that were are separated from God.

Colossians 2:13 ESV

13 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,

The cause of spiritual death: Our trespasses and sins. This dual idea is given to show the totality of sin. Sins of commission where we willingly transgressed the line God set forth, His standard. And not meeting up to his standard. And it is clear, it is the sins in which we once walked. The reason for your separation, your deadness, is the sins you have done yourself. There is no excuse here. The Bible tells us we have all sinned. And we all fall short of the glory of God. And we constantly fall short of His standard, to the point that even our righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God.

Second, we see that we were also once...

B. Enslaved (2b-3a)

Paul continues to show us our state, the state of all mankind. The second idea is of enslavement, and there are three ways in which we are enslaved according to these verses.

By the world (2b)

Clearly Paul continues to show us our state. In a continued reminder of what we once were, he shows that we were once living as the world lived. The general idea is that as the world’s ideology went, so did we. We bought into the secularism, the view that life is about us and about what I want. Or maybe we were viewing life that we are to be good moral people, and by doing so, God will let us into heaven one day. As God’s people, we no longer operate under that mentality. But that is what we were enslaved to, the ways of the world and how it views life.

By the Enemy (2c)

Paul also tells us that were once following the Enemy himself, Satan. Satan is considered the god of this world.

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Satan has blinded unbelievers, and were once blinded as well. Satan influences the world with great power to further rebellion against God. We were once there ourselves. I have often said, to the greatest shocking effect that this can bring, that we were once Satan followers, even if we didn’t realize it or know it.

The spirit of the enemy is at work in all those that are disobedient, in which we were all once considered. The overall demeanor and action of all mankind is disobedience, which Satan is the author of.

By the flesh (3a)

Notice clearly the shift from you to us. That is not accidental, and it reminds that all of humanity is in this description. He wanted the Gentile believers to know that even himself and the rest of the Jews were under this condemnation. There is nothing makes someone excluded from this state of human condition. Being a Jew didn’t make them better or without this need. Every Jew, every person throughout history is under this condemnation. And this should remind us that none of us, no matter where we grew up, what kind of culture, what kind of town, a particular country, whether your parents and grandparents were in church all their lives or started the church, what class of people we belong too, what the color of our skin is, excludes us from the condition. In other words, we are all on equal ground. No one is seen as righteous. We are all enslaved and in need of salvation. There is level ground at the cross, and we must all humble ourselves and continue to live in light of that humility.

And what we all lived, every person, regardless of who they are and where they can from, lived according to the passions of the flesh…

carrying out the desires of the body. This is pointing to the physical things of life that have become gods to us. Good things like food, drink, sex, beneficial drugs, and recreation all become sources of our worship. Food becomes gluttony. Sex becomes lust. Exercise becomes abuse of the body.

The mind: Points us to how we begin to have intellectual pride and rebel, declaring God as unneeded. The thoughts of lust, anger, malice, and envy come from the mind, and Jesus makes that clear throughout the Sermon on the Mount himself.

Third, we see that we were also once...

C. Condemned (3b)

And the results of sin, our enslavement to the world, the Enemy, and to our flesh is that we stand as children of wrath. Not popular with many, even in some “Christian” circles, this is declaration that we are all innately under the wrath of God. This has come because of the first sin by Adam, and we are considered in original sin. Our natures are considered depraved. We may say that this isn’t fair, but in Adam’s shoes, we would’ve done the same. But because of that sin, we are broken, naturally inclined to sin. This is evident because there has been no human being other than Jesus Christ, the God-man himself, who hasn’t sinned.

Romans 5:12–14 ESV

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

Being children of wrath means that we stand under condemnation. No, this isn’t some fly-off-the-handle reaction of God. This is part of the justice of God. This is from his nature, a just nature that must hate sin and destroy it. It transgresses His holiness. Some may say, how can a loving God have wrath. But it is because of His wrath that He is able to pour out justice on those that do wrong. Yet in that, He is able to offer His love of salvation from that wrath, and instead willingly pours it out on His Son in our place. This is the work of the cross. This is where Jesus took upon our sin.

Romans 5:18–21 ESV

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

TRANSITION: Yet, there in the midst of this description of our deadness, our identity before Christ, we rejoice at two wonderful words that enter into the text to show us how we might be saved from it….

II. What Has Happened (4-7)

But God. This phrase is the center of the text, the driving force of Paul’s desire that God’s people would realize and know the God whom has graciously given them every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. The driving force of Paul’s prayer that they would know God and the incredible hope, inheritance, and power that has been shown toward the church. BUT GOD...

Here are three aspects of what God has done to us, to completely change our identity and give us what the text says in verse 5: Made us alive together with Christ. That’s what God has done, and this is how He did it.

A. Rich mercy

God in great pity and compassion toward us, mercy in his being. Wrath is innate to the justice of God, yet also mercy is a defining attribute of him. We see this evident throughout the Bible and throughout the history of God’s people throughout the OT. Rebellion after rebellion, yet God kept his promises and showed great mercy to a people who were obstinate and stiff-necked.

Exodus 34:6–7 ESV

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Jesus very clearly showed great compassion to those that were lost and broken. The Gospels often speak that Jesus was moved to compassion to people, to crowds.

God is not a God who leaves us where we are at, but offers a way of salvation from the wrath He deserved. This didn’t take away His wrath, but rather, focused it on His own Son on our behalf.

And that leads us to the next identifier of God...

B. Great love

He is merciful, and because of the great love with which he loved us. Founded in that mercy is an exhibition of great love toward us. That’s an incredible idea to think about. Paul in Romans speaks of the incredible nature of this love.

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Despite our trespasses and sins. Despite our state of following the world, following Satan, and giving in to our passions of the flesh, we have a God who loved us anyway. I love to think of this that God loved us at our darkest. Even in our trespasses and sins, dead without any hope, God intervened and loved us. He gave us His Son.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

C. Immeasurable grace

What did He do? He raised us up with Christ. Look back at the previous text we were in. This very much parallels that text in regards to ourselves and to Christ. Through the power of God, Jesus was resurrected and seated at the right hand of the Father. We in the same manner, who were dead, are made alive in Christ. That same resurrection gives life to those who are spiritually dead.

And we are also seated with him in the heavenly places. So not only are we given new life, we are given new meaning and new position. As we are resurrected, we also are given rule and reign in the kingdom of God. Our citizenship in this kingdom defines who we are, and the church itself is now seated with Christ as He rules and reigns His people. Grasping who we are now informs how we live. You are no longer dead in sin. You are no longer trapped, headed towards the wrath you deserved. Jesus took that wrath upon Himself and gave you life through His own death, burial, and resurrection. You are now victorious in Christ, no longer held captive to the spirit of the world, the spirit of Satan, or to the flesh.

Why? So that we would be shining examples of his incredible grace. Why did God save sinners like me and you? Why did He resurrect us and give us new life? To show how incredible His grace is. We are pictures of grace. Throughout the ages, we are to be God’s people who reflect the gracious working of God in us. In other words, we show how great God is! That His grace is immeasurable. Think about that word for a moment. Can’t be measured. That undeserved merit of God given to us despite ourselves. And He does it in kindness. In His Son Jesus. Our Lord is gracious and kind, so kind that He willingly gave His Son for us, once His enemies.

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Application: So how do we reflect what has happened to us? We humble ourselves by showing humility in all that we do. That by remembering who we once were, we have no room to ever think that I deserve this grace more than anyone else. We should also be the quickest to forgive one another, and to forgive anyone in our world today. We should be compassionate because Christ showed His great compassion towards us. We are to be sacrificial for the good of others, that life isn’t about us, but rather God’s glory.

Will you think about how you engage the lost world? How about your workplace? Your home? Your school? How are you engaging the gospel? Are you ready and willing to share this incredible gift of But God? to others? Is your social media a place of anger and name calling, more concerned about making noise about the degregation of culture or of this country rather than proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel that has saved our wretched souls? And do you believe that this Gospel is for everyone, or for just the people you agree with?

III. Who You Are Now (8-10)

And to close out the paragraph, Paul reminds and expands upon this idea of grace. This grace is essential for us to understand our identity. This grace is also essential for us to understand how we then should live.

A. Saved by grace

We reiterate here what grace is: the undeserved merit of God. It is the initiation of God that brings about this salvation. All of grace, none of us. It is the complete work of God, done and accomplished by Jesus at the cross, his resurrection, and ascension. For by grace you have been saved through faith.

The idea of saved is important here in the Greek. It is accomplished with its effects continuing forever. Your salvation is done, yet it is still effecting you to this day. You are secure in it.

This grace is accepted by faith. Faith is the means by which the gift is enacted in our lives. This incredible salvation is a gift. That gift is done by God alone, the gift-giver. He bought the gift of eternal life through the blood of His own Son for us. Jesus willingly gave His life to give us the gift of new life. Nothing we did earned it. Nothing we did enacted it. It is only by God alone that we are saved.

Jonathan Edwards once said famously: “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.”

Titus 3:5 ESV

5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Galatians 2:16 ESV

16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

It is all of grace, nothing of us. Salvation is then recieved by faith, by placing your complete trust in Jesus Christ to save you and redeem you. And what results in this? That you cannot boast in it. You cannot say, “I earned salvation.”

If we could say that, we would puff our chests out like a proud hen, proclaiming to others how good we were to make it to heaven. No one can boast. No one is good enough. Only Christ is good enough, and He died for us. He deserves to be boasted about, because He did all that was necessary.

Whom do you boast in your life? Is Jesus the central character of your life? Is life about you or is it about Him, the one who gave us this incredible grace?

B. Masterpieces of God

And yet God saved us for a purpose. He saved us to show that we are His masterpieces. That’s the idea behind workmanship in the ESV. He has saved us and given us new life, and He is molding us to show off His grace. His church is a masterpiece of His mercy, grace, love, and glory. We reflect His goodness and kindness.

God is molding and making you as His own, purchased by the blood of His Son, and He is making you a masterpiece that then does something.

C. Recreated for good works

God recreated us, gave us eternal life. In Christ Jesus, we are given new life.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Romans 6:4 ESV

4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

The baptism of the Christian is a visual picture of what has happened to that believer. We are born again. We are given new life. We are recreated in Christ. And we are recreated for good works. Notice the order though. Works didn’t save us. We can’t boast in that. We are already saved, and yet God has saved us to do good works. It is the natural result of the believer. God prepared this very life for us to live for that purpose. You are to walk in a new life, bearing fruit for the kingdom. God din’t save you to sit in your pew and listen to singing and preaching as you await heaven. No, he saved you to worship and obey. To obey His commands to go and be a witness of the gospel and make disciples.

Conclusion: But God. That’s the incredible Gospel. This is one of the go to texts for me to show a succinct message of the Gospel. It reminds us of who we once were, what God has done, and what He has made us to be. Church, how can apply this to us today?

Remembering who you are should affect how you treat others, both inside and outside the church. You have been forgiven much, and you should also forgive others as Christ forgave you.

You should also be eager to share the Gospel with anybody, for you were once in their shoes. There is no distinction at the cross when it comes to social class, race, or politics. Whether someone disagrees without us about everything we believe in. Everyone needs the Gospel.

And who we are should provoke us to good works. We know that good works can’t save us, but that we were saved for good works.

And last of all, does this whole text describe you? Or just the first three verses? Do you know the grace that I have been talking about his morning? Have you believed in Christ by faith alone for your salvation? Trust in Him today.