Sunday: Once Dead and Deceived by Satan
Read Ephesians 2:1-10. What is the main idea that Paul is giving us here about what Jesus has done for us?
Paul has already described the salvation given to Christians (Ephesians 1:3-14, Ephesians 1:15-23) and told, in brief, the story of the believers in Ephesus (Ephesians 1:13). In Ephesians 2:1-10, Paul will now tell their conversion story in more detail, with a more personal focus. He contrasts their past, sinful existence (Ephesians 2:1-3) with the blessings of God’s salvation, which he portrays as a participation in the resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Christ (Ephesians 2:4-7), and he celebrates the basis of that salvation in the grace and creative work of God (Ephesians 2:8-10).
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These three sections of the passage are summarized neatly in the phrases of Ephesians 2:5: (1) “we were dead in our trespasses”; (2) God “made us alive together with Christ”; (3) “by grace you have been saved” (ESV).
In Ephesians 2:1-2, Paul underlines the sad reality of the pre-conversion existence of his audience by noting that they were spiritually dead, practicing trespasses and sins as their regular pattern of life (Ephesians 2:1) and were dominated by Satan (Ephesians 2:2). Since Paul writes to living people, he refers to them as once “dead” in a metaphorical sense (compare Ephesians 5:14). However, their plight was very real and dire since they were once separated from God, the Source of life (compare Colossians 2:13, Romans 5:17, Romans 6:23).
Reflecting on the past lives of his hearers, Paul identifies two external forces that dominated them. The first of these is “the course of this world” (Ephesians 2:2, NKJV) — the customs and behavior in the wider society of Ephesus that misshaped human life into rebellion against God.
Satan is described in two ways as the second external force that dominated their prior existence. He is “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2, NKJV) since “the air” (or “the heavenly places”) is identified as the location of supernatural powers, including evil ones (compare Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 3:10, Ephesians 6:12). Also, he is active on earth since he is “the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2, NKJV).
| What do these verses teach about the reality of the great controversy? At the same time, how can we draw comfort and hope in the knowledge that Jesus has been victorious and that we can share in His victory now? |
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If Nicodemus could have had today's lesson from Pauls letters, he may not have asked the question of Christ, "how can I be born again, there is only one birth I know of?"
The Lord taught rebirth many years before He came to this earth. He told Ezekiel to say, I will recreate your stony hearts of flesh, if you will turn to Me.
Ezekiel 36:26.
Ezekiel 11:19.
Ezekiel 18:31.
Lord you are the Potter, we are the clay, mold us to be as a nail on the wall to hold thy picture. Amen.
Our study this week encompasses the key idea of Christianity. Salvation. One of the verses is important enough to be part of the seminal event that lit the fire under the protestant reformation.
A home in our part of Australia costs about $1 million, depending on size and location. It's a lot of money and those of us who own homes know how long it took us to pay that amount off. Homeownership for most of us is a lifelong effort. Think about what it would have been like if God had said that we could be saved by paying $1 million. How many of us would sacrifice our homes for salvation? The hard-heads among us would be checking the bonafide of this salvation to see if it really was worth it.
One of the problems we have is that our idea of salvation is often limited to speculation on the futures market. We only get it after we die and are raised again or we go through the apocalyptic end-time event. And that is intangible.
I hope that our little excursion to market value salvation gives us pause to think and ask:
My answer to the last question on Sundays' (Ist day to this week's) lesson, is this: One day at a time, today for starters, exercise our faith in these verses and live for God, Jesus, via His Holy Spirit.
When man rejects the notion that he has a Creator, he also rejects His truths by which man can find true life. It always amazes me that not everyone is able to accept that the Gospel conveys vital, intelligent and spiritual truth. And not just any truth, but the Truth needed to govern one’s life by and so accept ones Salvation. Man is more than a body, he is a living soul.
Mankind needs a savior or it is doomed - why would this be so controversial? Those thinking they do not ‘need’ a savior still seek to improve their life by truths evolving from man’s innovations and societal progress. The questions becomes: 'which ‘truth’ to join'?
To offer the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, as the conveyor of vitally important truth is offensive to those who see themselves as represented by their 'body', not recognizing that they are a 'living soul'. They look for guidance to come from the world they live in and its technology; AI being the latest example of a by man made 'superpower' to help improve their life.
I appreciate Maurice offering to ask ourselves these most important questions our faith poses to the believer. If we cannot answer them for ourselves, how can we expect to answer them for the benefit of one who seeks sensible answers to what we have accept by faith first?
Faith does not exclude the knowing and understanding the reason for our faith. The Gospel in and off itself is the greatest News that ‘modern’ man can possibly pay attention to, but if we cannot have an intelligent conversation to explain it, it will be considered ‘powerless’ to reach the heart and mind of the inquirer.
My concern is that, without our dedicated prayers for God to open the heart and mind of the lost and a consistent Walk of Christ’s Faith, we will fall short of the goal to be the ‘shining light on the hill’ to the Glory of God the Father.
Studying to show ourselves approved is not only needful and beneficial to ourselves, but it becomes vitally important to those interested in the reason for our faith as they look to those already living according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ – 2Tim.2:15.
Romans is the most comprehensive book in terms of laying out how salvation works, but if you want a quick summary, you can't really beat Ephesians 2:1-10. It summarizes the process so well. And it's all about Jesus. All be can do is receive it by faith. Even the works we will do once we're saved (vs. 10) are prepared by God. That's so amazing!
What it is necessary to do is rely on Jesus for everything. God provides His knowledge, but compromise is always required. Grace is free, and following means to live in it.
Salvation refers to the deliverance of a person from the consequences of sin and the attainment of eternal life. It is often associated with the concept of being saved or redeemed by God.
Grace, in the context of salvation, refers to the unmerited favor and love of God. It is through God's grace that salvation is made possible. Grace is not earned or deserved but freely given by God.
Salvation is described as a gift because it is something that is freely given by God, without any merit or work on our part. It cannot be earned or achieved through our own efforts. It is a gift that is received by faith in Jesus Christ.
Works do not count towards salvation because they cannot earn or merit salvation. No amount of good deeds or efforts can outweigh or cancel out the consequences of sin. Salvation is solely based on God's grace and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
As believers who are "alive in Christ," our role is to share the message of salvation with those who are still "dead in sin." We can market salvation by living out our faith authentically, demonstrating the transformative power of God's grace in our lives. We can also share the message of salvation through verbal communication, showing love, compassion, and pointing others to Jesus as the source of salvation. Ultimately, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict and draw people to God.
One answer to Maurice’s last question, and this hails back to the “all power” given unto Christ on earth, and I feel this lack of power in my own life. We need the power of the Holy Spirit that attended Peter when the conviction came upon the people and they responded, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
We inherited sin and its results being "Eternal Death," from The First Adam. But from Jesus, who now is our "Second Adam," we inherit eternal life and also the gift of faith and to exercise this faith to become sanctified and live a life holy and acceptable to His Service.
Last week we learnt that the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and revelation of what God has done for us. (Ephesians 1:17)
Paul is now telling people who are alive that before Christ they were dead...
We have all heard the phrase, dead man walking. What does that mean? Literally in America it refers to a condemned man who is walking from his prison cell to a place of execution... You are walking but you are already dead.
It can also mean any person in a doomed or untenable situation. This is said when one is about to lose his or her job.
You are coming to work expecting your salary and expecting to perform your daily duties but you do not know that you lost your job the previous day.
I once lost a job. Before I lost it, I knew they were not going to renew my contract. In other words, I could read the 'signs' and I made plans in advance. When they finally told me that I had lost my job, I had already secured another job. In other words I was no longer a dead man walking. Why? Because I had a 'revelation' that I had lost my job.
Once we get revelation (Ephesians 1:17), we will know that we are doomed to die because of sin. We then make provisions by hiding our lives in Christ.
After receiving Christ, Paul says we will then have life eternal.
Truly, we were once dead and deceived by Satan but we are saved by grace, through faith. God bless you...