Pastor's Connect Blog
Connect Blog
Ephesians 2:1-10
October 22, 2017
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:1-10
2:1
“quickened” – to make alive; in this case, a spiritual resurrection occurring at the moment of conversion. See also Romans 6:4-10.
“dead” – the ideal of separation. Physical death occurs when the spirit is separated from the body. Spiritual death is to be spiritually and morally separated from God. Eternal death is when the body and the soul are separated from God for all eternity.
“trespasses” (to deviate from God’s original intent) and “sins” (to fall short; to fail to measure up to God’s standards) are the reason for man’s state of death (See Romans 5:12; 6:23).
2:2-3
“walked” – conduct. In verses 2-3 Paul recounts the believer’s lifestyle prior to his faith in Christ. The believer, prior to salvation, bound by the powers of hell, lived for sinful, selfish pleasures resulting in God’s judgment. For an example see Genesis 6 …
2:4
“mercy” – God withholding from us what we deserve (See Romans 5:8).
“love” – agape … an unconditional and self-sacrificing act of benevolence (See John 3:16).
2:5
Verse 5 introduces us to Christ .. the One through Whom God worked to effect man’s salvation.
“grace” – God doing for us what we could not do for ourselves; unmerited favor.
Note the order and impetus of verse 5 … It is not what man to obtain God’s favor, but what God did in order to obtain man’s release from the prison and penalty of sin.
2:6-7
Through Christ our past is forgiven and our future is secure
God’s work of redemption encompasses the past, the present and the future.
For all eternity the believer will be on display throughout the universe as the trophies of God’s grace; an exhibition of the riches of His mercy and the greatness of His love.
2:8-9
“faith” – to entrust. In this passage “faith” is to commit oneself to the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. Absolute dependence on what He has done not what a person can do.
Note the order: “by grace through faith” reminding the believer that the very faith necessary to believe is the result of God’s grace.
“not of works” – nothing you do (See Titus 3:4-7).
“gift” – if something is a gift it requires only the recipient to receive. Something earned is not a gift (See Romans 4:4-5).
2:10
“workmanship, created” – our salvation, while secure, is an ongoing process that includes living in obedience to God.
We are not saved by our good works, but if we are saved, God expects us to do good works, that’s His plan.
See: Titus 3:8