A Marvelous Picture of the Intervention of God’s Grace Ephesians 2:1-10
Having shown the spiritual blessings of God’s plan in redeeming those in Christ (chapter 1), Paul now reveals the marvelous steps by which God worked to bring this plan into reality (chapter 2). Ephesians 2:1-10 may be outlined as follows: I. The Need for the Intervention of God’s Grace – Ephesians 2:1-3; II. The New Life that God’s Grace Brought – Ephesians 2:4-10.
- The Need for the Intervention of God’s Grace – Ephesians 2:1-3
From the outset, before Paul builds on the dramatic intervention of God’s grace, he depicts mankind’s condition before that intervention. Ephesians 2:1 tells us that we were “dead in trespasses and sins.” To be “dead in trespasses and sins” means that we had no spiritual life whatsoever because of sin. Man’s problem is not one that can be remedied by human effort or intervention, for one who is spiritually dead has no potency or power to make improvements.
Before God quickened (made alive), we were unsaved – “dead in trespasses and sins.” We were spiritually dead; however, we were very much alive physically! We were individuals having no communication with God. We were spiritually separated from God! Having discussed our unregenerate condition before the intervention of God’s grace, Paul will detail our depraved conduct in verses 2-3.
Existing in the realm of “trespasses and sins,” we conducted ourselves “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air” (v. 2). We conformed to the prevailing character of the world, being influenced by Satan in rebelling against God. We were dominated in our evil actions by Satan, the “prince of the power of the air.” We were being acted upon in an atmosphere dominated by the power of the evil one, Satan (St. John 12:31; II. Cor. 4:4). Satan’s influential power that prevails in the world is described as “the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (v. 2). Satan is the evil spiritual being who influences and energizes all those who are disobedient to God.
In verse 3, Paul reminded us that before the intervention of God’s grace, we conducted ourselves according to “the lusts of the flesh.” The word “lusts” can refer to any intense or strong desire. Those living according to fleshly lusts give themselves over to a lifestyle of following sinful passions (Galatians 5:19-21). In this lifestyle of sin, we fulfilled or practiced (v. 3) those desires of the flesh. The way we thought (our minds) was controlled by our unregenerate nature! We were “children of disobedience (v. 2) and children of wrath (v. 3) for we certainly deserved God’s wrath! Paul had just given us a grim picture of our spiritual condition before the intervention of God’s grace! We indeed had a sordid past in contrast to our present condition of being in Christ!
- The New Life that God’s Grace Brought – Ephesians 2:4-10
Against the background of our depraved and lost condition, Paul reveals the richness of God’s mercy and “His great love wherewith He loved us” (v. 4). Although we were spiritually dead in our sins, God has made us alive “together with Christ” (v. 5). God has made a stupendous change in our lives. Only grace accounts for the change from what we once were to what we now are in Christ! Amen!
Along with giving us a new life, God has “raised us up together” (v. 6) with Christ and has seated us “together in heavenly places in Christ.” Brothers and sisters, we have gone from having no life to possessing the resurrection life of Christ and an inheritance of reigning with Him forever (Rom. 6:5; Rev. 3:21). What a stupendous change that has taken place in our lives!
In verse 7, God has an ultimate goal in bringing us from death to life! That goal is to openly display “the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” This display will take place “in the ages to come,” no doubt referring to eternity or maybe during the Millennium. In eternity, the marvelous grandeur of God’s grace will be displayed to all creation by redeemed saints. Church, we have a marvelous future awaiting us!
In verses 8-9, our eternal salvation rests entirely on grace without any other motivating factors. Grace is the basis of our salvation, faith being the means through which it is brought about. Trusting in Christ’s shed blood at Calvary for the forgiveness of sins brought us eternal life. We did not merit salvation by our works (v. 9); therefore, we have no reason to boast.
Finally, in verse 10, we are God’s masterpiece, created by Him “in Christ Jesus unto good works.” After salvation, even the good works that we do as believers are not works we can take credit for. They are not really our works at all; they are works that God “hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (v. 10).
May God Bless!
