October 23, 2022
Ephesians 2:1-10
“Alive in Jesus”
Service Overview: G.R.A.C.E. = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. It is by God’s grace we are saved. We don’t deserve it, it is a free gift. And the receiving of that gift leads to life like never before, and of the endeavor of making Jesus famous by doing the work he prepared for us to do.
Memory Verse for the Week:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” Ephesians 2:8 (NIV)
Background Information:
- (2:2c). It is important to note that the word spirit used here is not a reference to a specific being, but rather an attitude or common atmosphere (see 1 Corinthians 2:12). (Mark A. Holmes, Ephesians, Kindle Location 1299)
- The phrase “objects of wrath” is a Jewish idiom for those who deserve God’s punishment. The fact that this is by nature reveals that this is humanity’s natural state apart from God’s redeeming grace. (Bruce Barton, Life Application Bible Commentary: Ephesians, 40)
- Jewish people commonly believed that the heavenly powers ruled all the nations except Israel; some later teachers explained that Israel had been lifted above those heavenly powers in Abraham their ancestor. Paul says that those united with Christ had also been raised above those powers. His words would be a great encouragement to Christians who had been converted from an occult background (cf. Acts 19:18-20). (Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 277)
- Satan is described in Scripture as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31), “the prince of demons” (Mat. 9:34), and, a sobering title, “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4). As “the prince of the power of the air,” he commands innumerable hosts in the unseen world and thus creates a spirit of the age, a cosmos diabolicus in which he knits just enough good with evil to achieve his purposes. (R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word: Ephesians, 77)
- “Walk” here, as it does in Paul’s other Epistles and the writings of John, denotes more than “an aimless promenading or strolling about.” Rather, it means “a choice of steps on a given ground in a given direction.” (Willard H. Taylor, Beacon Bible Expositions, Volume 8, 141)
- Many regard Eph. 2:1-3 as a classic description of the doctrine of “total depravity” or “spiritual death.” Though outwardly we looked very much alive, inside we were cut off from true life because we were severed from God—the Source of life. (Charles Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights: Galatians & Ephesians, 224)
- The noun for “love” (agape) comes from the verb agapao that means “to seek the highest good in the one loved.” Since sinners are spiritually dead toward God, they have nothing to commend them to God. This is why Paul described this love as being “great.” (Harold W. Hoehner, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, 623)
The question to answer…
Why are texts like this vital for Jesus’ people to understand?
Answer…
Because God’s Word is true, eternally important, and we can’t feel our way to knowledge of God.
According to God’s Word, those without Christ are…
- Prisoners of death.
(v. 1, 5 | Genesis 2:17; Luke 4:18; John 3:3; Romans 5:12-21; 7:5; 7:23; 8:6; James 1:15)
Legally, before God, those who are not saved are in a death wait. Their sins have condemned them before the Master Judge. They simply await the performance of God’s sentence upon them. However, like the inmates of our prisons, there is always time for an appeal or a pardon by which the sentence can be transmuted. (Holmes, Kindle Location 1229)
- Servants of this world and its master.
(v. 2 | Isaiah 14:12-15; John 8:44; Acts 26:18; 2 Cor. 4:4; 11:14; James 4:4; 1 John 5:19)
So potent is the power of Satan that he can get people to believe that truth is a lie and that a lie is the truth. He fills the world with temptations and traps, and he reigns over his kingdom of darkness like a malevolent dictator oppressing his powerless victims. (Swindoll, 224)
- Mere addicts to base instincts.
(v. 3 | Matthew 26:41; Romans 7:18; 8:7-8; 13:14; Galatians 5:17; 5:19-21; 1 John 2:16)
The philosophy “if it feels good do it” is not unique to the twenty-first century. “Gratifying” means that they did whatever felt natural to them. (Barton, 39)
Just as a person physically dead does not respond to physical stimuli, so a person spiritually dead is unable to respond to spiritual things. A corpse does not hear the conversation going on in the funeral parlor. He has no appetite for food or drink; he feels no pain; he is dead. Just so with the inner man of the unsaved person. His spiritual faculties are not functioning, and they cannot function until God gives him life. (Warren Wiersbe, Be Rich: Ephesians, 42)
- Deserving only of God’s righteous anger.
(v. 3 | Matthew 12:36; John 3:36; Romans 1:18; 2:5–6; 3:5; 5:6–11; 6:23; Ephesians 5:6)
The phrase by nature the children of wrath denotes that every person apart from the grace of God is an object of God’s wrath, not only because he commits acts of sin but because he is by nature (innately) a sinner. (Taylor, 142)
[God’s] wrath is a permanent and consistent element in His nature and is best seen as the reverse side of His holy love. God’s wrath represents the divine hostility to all that is evil. It is a personal quality without which God would not be fully righteous. (John Mackay, God’s Order, 94)
Because of God’s love, mercy, and grace, those in Christ are…
A. Made alive.
(v.5 | Ez. 11:19; John 3:3, 36; 10:10; Rom. 6:4, 23; 1 Cor. 15:21; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Peter 1:23)
Life without God is no life at all. (Holmes, Kindle Location 1220)
God did not require us to be good enough before he reached down to save us; he made us alive when we were dead. Thus, the only basis for salvation is God’s grace. (Bruce Barton, Life Application Bible Commentary: Ephesians, 43)
When you come to Christ, you do not come to give, you come to receive. You do not come to try your best, you come to trust. You do not come just to be helped, but to be rescued. You do not come to be made better (although that does happen), you come to be made alive! (Erwin Lutzer, How You Can Be Sure That You Will Spend Eternity with God, 45)
B. Raised up.
(v.6 | John 11:25; Romans 6:4; 8:2, 11; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 3:1-25; 1 Peter 1:3)
An inextricable union exists between the miracle of Christ’s resurrection and our spiritual resurrection. (Taylor, 139)
No one can crawl from the casket. He or she must be “made . . . alive together with Christ.” When we were dead in our sins, we were depraved in every area. But having been made alive, his life now touches every area. (R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word: Ephesians, 79)
C. Seated with.
(v.6 | Mark 16:19 ; Romans 5:17; 8:30; 1 Corinthians 15:54-55; Heb 10:10; 1 Peter 1:3)
In chapter 1 Paul praised God for exalting Jesus above all powers and forces. Now he says that we are seated with Jesus. This means we have a position of “superiority and authority over the evil powers” (O’Brien, Ephesians, 171). It does not mean we are divine. There is only One on the throne. But we are seated with Him and have power to overcome. (Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians, 48)
All this so that…
We can do good.
(v.10 | Psalm 37:3; Matthew 5:16; 7:21-23; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Colossians 3:5; Titus 3:8; Hebrews 10:24; 13:16; James 1:27; 2:14-17; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 3:14)
Because our good works are a result of God’s work, we are His workmanship. He’s the artist; we’re the medium through which He displays His glory. (Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights: Galatians & Ephesians, 233)
For Grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them. (Augustine, Of the Spirit and the Letter, 5th century)
Gospel Application…
G.R.A.C.E. = God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. The expense was his life, and the riches are new life to all, who by faith, believe.
(John 10:10; Romans 5:8; Philippians 2:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Tim. 1:10; Heb. 2:9; 2:14)
The beauty of the gospel is found in the fact that everything God has done on our behalf, and all that He has spared us from, is not because of who we are, but in spite of who we are. “While we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). (Mark A. Holmes, Ephesians, Kindle Location 1339)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- Read Ephesians 2:1–10. What does Paul mean when he says his readers were dead?
- How is the flesh different from the body? Why does this distinction matter?
- There are lots of unbelievers who live moral lives. How can a person live to satisfy the cravings of the flesh and still live a basically moral life?
- Paul says you are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. What does he mean? How can that be true of you while you still live on earth?
- What is the relationship between good works and salvation?
- What is the significance of the word workmanship in verse 10? How would thinking of yourself as God’s workmanship affect the way you conduct your life?
Quotes to note…
Satan causes division. The Greek word for “Devil” is diabolos, which means “to divide,” “throw over,” or gossip maliciously. Satan does his best work by causing splits and divisions among people. His dictum is “Divide and conquer.” (Mark A. Holmes, Ephesians, Kindle Location 1277)
God’s grace requires faith because the moral and legal case against us leads to an inevitable verdict—guilty. (Bruce Barton, Life Application Bible Commentary: Ephesians, 45)
God’s eternal love or good-will toward his creatures, is the fountain whence all his mercies flow to us; and that love of God is great love, and that mercy is rich mercy. And every converted sinner is a saved sinner; delivered from sin and wrath. (Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1283)
Those without Christ are captive to the social and value system of the present evil age, which is hostile to Christ. They are willing slaves to the pop culture of the media, the “group think” of the talk shows, post-Christian mores, and man-centered religious fads. The spiritually dead are dominated by the world! (R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word: Ephesians, 77)
Men go abroad to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the season, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering. (St. Augustine, Confessions)
The ultimate workmanship of God is a human being who, despite being dead in his trespasses and sins, has been made alive in Christ. (R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word: Ephesians, 103)
Grace is the basis for everything God has done for us. Grace motivated the Father to choose us in Christ before the foundation of the world (1:4-6). Grace provided the one-time payment for eternal redemption—the blood of Christ, who came to earth and died for the forgiveness of our sins (1:7). And by grace alone we receive this forgiveness and salvation—grace apart from any merit of our own (2:8-9) (Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights: Galatians & Ephesians, 230)
By nature, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). But God would love even if there were no sinners, because love is a part of His very being. Theologians call love one of God’s attributes. But God has two kinds of attributes: those that He possesses of Himself (intrinsic attributes, such as life, love, holiness) and those by which He relates to His creation, especially to man (relative attributes). For example, by nature God is truth, but when He relates to man, God’s truth becomes faithfulness. God is by nature holy, and when He relates that holiness to man, it becomes justice. (Warren Wiersbe, Be Rich: Ephesians, 45)
Ephesians 2:1-3 could not be clearer. Humans face a sad predicament. We are not morally good. We are not neutral. To quote Miracle Max in The Princess Bride, we were not “mostly dead.” We were totally dead. And we needed a miracle that only God could perform. (Tony, Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians, 44)