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The Epistle to the Ephesians Chapter 2:1-10 – ‘In Christ’. In the first chapter of Ephesians Paul spoke of God’s eternal purpose, wherein all who are “in Christ” are “blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.” In chapter two Paul continues to enumerate these great blessings and further expand on what God has done for us in Christ. As we study this chapter we are sure to conclude that “the Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad" (Psa. 126:3 NKJV™).
Raised to Share God’s Life The key words in both of the first two chapters are “in Christ”. Paul begins chapter two by showing us what we were outside of Christ, before listing the benefits that are now ours by virtue of our union with Him. 1. And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Before we came to know Christ we were dead in trespasses and sins, having no spiritual life. Hundreds of years before Paul wrote this epistle, the prophet Isaiah made the reason for this quite clear: "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear" (Isa. 59:2). Before we came to know Christ our sin separated us from God, and therefore His life. Without Jesus Christ in our hearts we have no life in us (John 6:53), for Christ is the life (John 14:6). That is, He is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20). In the first chapters of Genesis, we read that God warned Adam that disobedience would lead to death. When Adam chose to disobey he began to die physically, but he died immediately in the spiritual sense, being separated from God by his sin. Ever since then, alienation from God has been the position of the whole human race. As Paul writes in Romans: Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned (Rom. 5:12). When we receive Jesus Christ as Saviour, the sin which alienated us from God is taken out of the way, having been nailed to His cross; and so that we are reconciled to God (Col. 1:21 ; Rom. 5:10). In Christ we are “made alive”, quickened by the Holy Spirit from spiritual death to eternal life (John 5:24). Being born of God and therefore alive to God, we can enjoy all the benefits of knowing Him and His abiding presence.
2,3. 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, 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. In our previous condition of being alienated from God we lived “according to the course of this world.” Every man and woman outside of Christ, without exception, follows this course, living as part of this sinful age. It is the universal condition of fallen man, which is why John writes that “the whole world lies under the sway of the TM wicked one." (1 John 5:19 NKJV ). The powers of darkness, led by Satan, are continually at work in the lives of those who are “disobedient” - that is, those who do not believe and obey the Gospel of Christ. Our sinful nature is such that it is subject to their rule. One might say that since fallen man has become alienated from God and Satan, too, is the enemy of God, they make suitable companions for each other; just as "birds of a feather flock together". The fact that we were walking this path of enmity with God was clearly demonstrated by our actions, as rather than seeking to do God’s will, we sought only to gratify our craving for sin. By gratifying the sinful desires of our bodies and minds we revealed our nature to be utterly morally and spiritually depraved. We were enemies of God (Col. 1:21), deserving His punishment -“objects of wrath”. 4,5. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). But while we were still in this sinful condition, God loved us. God did not wait for us to change before He loved us, for He loved us when we were dead in sin and still His enemies, meriting His wrath. Paul describes God’s love as “the great love with which He (God) loved us”. It is a love for all the world, and can only be measured in terms of the gift it was prepared to give for us. God’s love for sinners moved Him to send His only Son to die for the salvation of all mankind. Christ’s atoning death displays God’s mercy - that is, His kindness offered to the guilty. It is not by any good that we have done, but by His grace (undeserved favour) that we have been saved. Christ’s death and resurrection are sufficient to raise all who believe on Him from spiritual death to spiritual life (John 5:25). 6. And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. All those who are “in Christ” have been glorified together with Him; we share His risen life and have been made “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:4). Since Christ came from heaven, He possesses a heavenly nature, and those who share His nature share citizenship of heaven with Him (Phil. 3:20). Jesus claimed while walking on earth, to still be “in heaven” (John 3:13), and so there is a sense in which the believer, even whilst still in the world, is not of the world, and sits in those same “heavenly places.” Christ, being exalted to God’s right hand, shares this same privileged position with those who are joined to His body.
Saved to Share God’s Grace 7. That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. God chose to reveal Himself to us in a way that would prove His loving kindness, so that through eternal ages we might thank and worship Him accordingly. The all-surpassing riches of God’s grace will be an unquestioned fact in heaven for this reason: that we are there. We who were once His enemies are now made His sons; we who were once dead in sins are now alive with Christ eternally; the Church will be the show piece of God’s grace throughout all eternity. 8. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
Here is the wonderful news of redemption’s story: “by grace you have been saved”. God’s salvation is offered freely to all on the basis of Christ’s work and is received individually by faith in Him. Nor can anyone can boast that they have faith to be saved, for that faith itself is the gift of God; being graciously created in the heart of those who are receptive to hear His Word (Rom. 10:17). God, through the Gospel, is reaching out to all men in love at all times. At some point during every life, God will bring each person to a point of decision concerning His salvation. The Holy Spirit will graciously move on the heart of those who are open to His Word to enable them to believe; yet those who accept salvation have nothing to boast in. At the same time, those who refuse God’s offer of mercy have no one but themselves to blame. 9. Not of works, lest anyone should boast. No one can boast of having earned salvation, for it is offered freely to all, and we are all completely undeserving. Paul writes to Titus that it is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us” (Tit. 3:5). What we may boast about, however, is the One who saved us. When we were completely unable to help ourselves, God intervened in the person of Jesus Christ, who is both the giver and embodiment of the grace of God; “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
Created to Share God’s Nature 10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. The new creation is the work of God realized in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. God has created us again in His image so that we might live as He wants us to, producing the fruits of obedience. These are the “good works” which He has created us to do. Those who continue to live in sin whilst claiming to be God’s workmanship (born again) are deceiving themselves. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him (1 John TM 2:4 NKJV ). The words “prepared beforehand” reveal that God has a will and purpose for every individual Christian’s life. As God said through Jeremiah: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jer. 29:11). It is as we learn to walk in obedience that these plans are fulfilled in our lives. Extract from our book ‘The Blessings of God’s Grace’ © Mathew Bartlett 2010 Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word” Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org