2.10. SALVATION BLESSING BY HIS QUICKENING POWER (Ephesians 2:1-12)

Our great need of salvation is seen in looking back to our lost condition.

Ephesians 2:1 "... who were dead in trespasses and sins;"

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The Cause And State Of Spiritual Death Is Trespasses And Sins

Physical death is the separation of the body from the soul. Spiritual death is the separation of the soul from God. Not to be quickened by the power that raised Jesus from the dead is to be spiritually dead. (Romans 5:12 ).

Isaiah 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear."

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Transgression Is The Act Of Rebellion Against God's Standards

Sins point to the condition of a corrupt nature - evil thoughts and wrong desires, a will that prefers to choose the wrong even when knowing what is good. The result is, sin cuts us off from God, a state that will carry over into eternity unless new life is received through faith in Christ. (Romans 5:12-21 ). Having been blessed with resurrection life in Christ we should mourn over lost, dead sinners and pray for their quickening by the Holy Spirit's convicting, convincing and changing power.

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Those Dead In Sin Are Eternally Separated From God

The warning of the descriptive picture of being dead in trespasses and sins is that they will be eternally in that condition of separation from God.

Ephesians 2:2 "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world ..."

The walking dead are those who in sin are dead to God. The unregenerate ones live by standards of a world opposed to God, shown in their attitude towards sin, pleasure, conduct, desires - they are dead in sin and live in sin. (Colossians 3:7 ). In their walk they are always walking away from God and we would still be walking the 'lost to God' walk if the Son of man had not come to seek and to save us (Matthew 18:11 ).

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Those Still In Their Sins Are Controlled By Satan

Ephesians 2:2 "... according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:"

In yielding to sin Adam and Eve came under Satan's dominion (Genesis 3:1-15 ). All sinners are under Satan's control. He is a real person whose domain is the air (1 John 5:19 ). Satan is the prince of the power or government of fallen angels.

Evil spirits, though invisible to human eyes have some place in the atmosphere from where they are actively engaged in influencing sons of disobedience. It is startling to learn that sinful, disobedient persons are energised by Satan and his evil spirits, so that they dislike God's will and are antagonistic to God.

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Such Was Our Condition Outside Of Christ

Ephesians 2:3 "among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh ..."

The word "lusts" refers to what we naturally desire and want. In our past state of spiritual death and living under Satan's control, our desires were fleshly, perverted, sensual, Satanic. (John 3:6; Romans 7:18; Romans 8:8 ).

Ephesians 2:3 "... and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others."

As with all Adam's race, we were by nature condemned and under sentence of death. How solemnly this is brought out in New Testament teaching (John 3:18-19; 3:36; Romans 1:18-20 ). How this should make us reach out to those around us who are lost!

Do not think of "wrath" as applied to God, in the same way as you would to man. In the case of man's wrath, it can be passion out of control. This is not so with God. When wrath is used of God, it refers to His holy, controlled, deep hatred of sin, that compels Him to appropriately punish sin.

Our great salvation is seen in God's amazing action in grace and love. Such was our lost state that only God in grace could save us.

Ephesians 2:4 "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,"

This is one of the most wonderful "buts" in Scripture - when as the deservedly condemned with no help in ourselves, we have this tremendous gospel truth, "But God". Our salvation sprang out of the two divine attributes:-

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God's Rich Mercy

"Who is rich in mercy". Mercy is God's tender compassion towards men who are brought into misery by their own sin. Such is the mercy of God He acted in grace through Jesus Christ to save us. God is the Father of mercies (2 Corinthians 1:3 ) and delights in mercy (Micah 7:18 ). But when we are viewed as redeemed sinners He is seen as rich in mercy. Indeed, we are "vessels of mercy" (Romans 9:23 ).

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God's Great Love

Because of "His great love". God's "agape" love is defined in God giving His beloved Son for us (John 3:16 ). He showed His love by sending His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him (1 John 4:9 ). God chose to love sinners. He expressed His great love in self-sacrifice.

	His love is strong (Song of Solomon 8:6-7 ).
	His love is everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3 ).
	His love is unchanging (Malachi 3:6 ).
	His love is triumphant (Colossians 2:15 ).

So rich and great are His mercy and love towards us, that these divine attributes are demonstrated to be beyond question.

Ephesians 2:5 "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ ..."

We have been made alive by the same power that operated on the dead body of Christ. We have been quickened, raised, and are living the heavenly life. (Ephesians 2:5 ) By grace you have been saved. Not of works, but of grace (Ephesians 2:8 ), of faith, that it might be of grace (Romans 4:16 ), Our salvation is indeed the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8 ).

Grace has positioned us seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6 ). By faith we take up that seated position with Him. It is the place of power - privilege - participation. Representatively enthroned because Christ our Head is there. We should live our earthly life from the throne. Future ages will see the riches of His grace in us (Ephesians 2:7 ).

Our salvation includes our being created unto good works by His workmanship. There is no way we can boast in contributing any effort of our own that brought about our salvation (Ephesians 2:9 ). We are made for good works that God has planned and prepared (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:11,14 ). Each Church member is an incredible presentation of His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10 ), demonstrating the new life in Christ by His pre-arranged good works lived out in us, reflecting the beauty and glory of the Lord.

Our salvation changed our hopeless past - that should be humbly remembered.

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Remember You Had No Outward Mark Of Circumcision

Ephesians 2:11 "Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh; who are called Uncircumcision ..."

Had no distinguishing bodily mark indicating special ownership by God. Of course, such a mark in Paul's understanding did not automatically authenticate circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:28-29; Philippians 3:3; Colossians 2:11 ). The thought being that we are to remember we were disadvantaged as being distant from God.

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Remember You Were Without Christ (Ephesians 2:12)

To be without Christ is to have, as sinners, no way to the Father (John 14:6 ) and no salvation - the state of millions today.

Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. "

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Remember You Were An Alien (Ephesians 2:12)

An unregenerate, spiritually displaced, homeless person. Now you belong to God and have a heavenly home (John 14:1-3 ).

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Remember You Were A Stranger (Ephesians 2:12)

Without relationship to God through Jesus Christ. Without membership of God's family, having no claim on God. (Matthew 22:11-13 ).

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Remember You Were Without Hope (Ephesians 2:12)

No promise and no hope - no expectation of change either in oneself or one's condition. Without Christ the condition is spiritual hopelessness.

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Remember You Were Without God (Ephesians 2:12)

To be without God in the world is to be worse off than ravens who had no barns but they had God (Luke 12:24 ). Even having barns is no substitute for not having God (Luke 12:18 ).

Remembering should bring us humbly to the feet of our Lord with thankfulness and declare, "For all the Lord has done for me, I never will cease to praise Him".

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QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

1. Can you describe from your experience what it means to be one of the walking dead? (Ephesians 2:1-3 ).
2. How did God express His great love towards you, and what is the expected effect in your relationship to the body of Christ? (Ephesians 2:4; 1 John 4:9-11 ).
3. Where has grace positioned you, and what does this mean in practical terms? (Ephesians 2:6 ).
4. What effect does remembering what you once were, have on you? (Ephesians 2:12 ).