Ephesians 2:1-22
Progress is hard for us to notice in both our physical as well as our spiritual growth. I don't remember growing, but I was born at 10 pounds and now I am, well lets just say quite a bit more than that. I have about tripled in height but cannot honestly remember growing even a fraction of an inch. Spiritual grown is also difficult to perceive but for believers it is definitely taking place. Perhaps the best way to notice growth is to look back to many years ago. Paul takes us back on a journey through time in this chapter as he reminds us of who and what we were before Christ and then compares it to who we have become in Christ. The change is astounding.
WE ARE RAISED FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH BY GRACE: Prior to Christ we were dead in our sins. We where not sick, but death, completely separated from God and enslaved to the sin that tormented our souls. This was a hopeless state and made us the enemies of God. But Christ changed all of that by paying the price of our sin and is so doing He raised us up from the dead and set us free from our hopeless state. We did not deserve this in any way and it is only because of God's grace and mercy that we have experienced the new live that Christ gives to us. We may not feel like we have come very far in our spiritual grown, but every true believer ought to be able to clearly see that he is no longer dead, but has been made alive in Christ.
WE ARE SAVED FROM SIN THROUGH FAITH: Sin condemns us to eternal punishment and enslaves us to a life of selfishness and shame. When we place our faith in Christ, we are saved from the punishment and equipped to practice good works. We literally become the workmanship of Christ who begins to empower us to live in ways that we would be completely unable to do apart from Him. There is often debate and confusion over the place of works in salvation. This passage makes it clear that our salvation takes part completely apart from any works that we might have done. There is no place for a believer to feel or claim that he has earned his salvation. However, we have been saved to do good works as the natural outflow of what Christ does in us. The lack of evidence or work in those who claim to be believers is good reason to question the validity of that persons salvation. We are not saved by works, but we are saved for works.
WE ARE UNITED WITH CHRIST IN PEACE: We seldom consider ourselves to be enemies of God or in some way to be at war with God, but that is exactly what we were before Christ saved us. Once we trust Christ, we become identified with Him and find ourselves with free access to the presence of God and are found to be in perfect peace with Him. All of the hostilities due to our sin were taken out on Jesus. We now find ourselves the objects of God's love and we are graciously entitled to a full inheritance in Christ. Our faith in Christ has taken us a long ways from war to peace and from separation to full access. We have been truly blessed.
WE ARE JOINED TO THE BODY THROUGH THE SPIRIT: We are part of the body of Christ because of what the Lord has done for us. We all are place in the same body, this was a big deal for gentile readers to realize that they were place within the same body as the God's chosen people the Jews. All of the promises of redemption, transformation and forgiveness are made available to all of us through Christ. We belong to God, He belongs to us and we belong to one another as members of the Body of Christ. We are not alone and lost, but we are free and an integral part of the family of God.
WE ARE RAISED FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH BY GRACE: Prior to Christ we were dead in our sins. We where not sick, but death, completely separated from God and enslaved to the sin that tormented our souls. This was a hopeless state and made us the enemies of God. But Christ changed all of that by paying the price of our sin and is so doing He raised us up from the dead and set us free from our hopeless state. We did not deserve this in any way and it is only because of God's grace and mercy that we have experienced the new live that Christ gives to us. We may not feel like we have come very far in our spiritual grown, but every true believer ought to be able to clearly see that he is no longer dead, but has been made alive in Christ.
WE ARE SAVED FROM SIN THROUGH FAITH: Sin condemns us to eternal punishment and enslaves us to a life of selfishness and shame. When we place our faith in Christ, we are saved from the punishment and equipped to practice good works. We literally become the workmanship of Christ who begins to empower us to live in ways that we would be completely unable to do apart from Him. There is often debate and confusion over the place of works in salvation. This passage makes it clear that our salvation takes part completely apart from any works that we might have done. There is no place for a believer to feel or claim that he has earned his salvation. However, we have been saved to do good works as the natural outflow of what Christ does in us. The lack of evidence or work in those who claim to be believers is good reason to question the validity of that persons salvation. We are not saved by works, but we are saved for works.
WE ARE UNITED WITH CHRIST IN PEACE: We seldom consider ourselves to be enemies of God or in some way to be at war with God, but that is exactly what we were before Christ saved us. Once we trust Christ, we become identified with Him and find ourselves with free access to the presence of God and are found to be in perfect peace with Him. All of the hostilities due to our sin were taken out on Jesus. We now find ourselves the objects of God's love and we are graciously entitled to a full inheritance in Christ. Our faith in Christ has taken us a long ways from war to peace and from separation to full access. We have been truly blessed.
WE ARE JOINED TO THE BODY THROUGH THE SPIRIT: We are part of the body of Christ because of what the Lord has done for us. We all are place in the same body, this was a big deal for gentile readers to realize that they were place within the same body as the God's chosen people the Jews. All of the promises of redemption, transformation and forgiveness are made available to all of us through Christ. We belong to God, He belongs to us and we belong to one another as members of the Body of Christ. We are not alone and lost, but we are free and an integral part of the family of God.
Comments
Post a Comment