By Grace Through Faith - Ephesians 2:1-10
Hey - this are the “rough” notes from the 1st session I did at Creationfest 2010 in the UK
By Grace Through Faith – Ephesians 2:1-10
Context –
Paul has just pointed out in the end of chapter 1 all that the rez of Jesus has brought forth practically.
He now turns his attention to all that the rez has brought forth to us personally.
v1 - b/c we were all dead in trespasses and sins
Trespasses speaks of man as a rebel, sins speaks of man as a failure. “Before God we are both rebels and failures.” (Stott)
Sin also makes us:
1) Blind (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
2) A slave (Romans 6:17)
3) A lover of darkness (John 3:19-20)
4) Sick (Mark 2:17)
5) Lost (Luke 15)
6) An alien, a stranger, a foreigner (Ephesians 2:12; 2:19)
7) A child of wrath (Ephesians 2:3)
8) Under the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13)
v2 - notice “once” here and in v. 3 - this should be the “old you” not the “new you”.
We need Jesus!!
1) b/c we were all stuck in the course of this world
2) v2 - b/c we were all “ruled” by Satan
3) v2 - b/c we were all “sons of disobedience” - aka “sons of Adam” (see Romans 5:12)
4) v3 - b/c we all conducted ourselves based on the lust of our flesh and mind
5) v3 - b/c we were all children of wrath
Wrath?
Can a loving God have wrath?
wrath - a word denoting the active feeling of God against sin, expressing in human categories an important attribute of God: that he is holy and righteous and rejects everything that is not.
Deut. 29:23 - ‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’
2 Sam. 6:7 - Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.
Ps. 103:8 - The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
Joel 2:13 - So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.
Also in Romans 1:18, 2:5, 2:8, 5:9, 9:22
BUT –
The mission of Jesus was to take the wrath of God upon himself. That is the meaning of salvation in the NT - since the time when Jesus was sent into the world, only those who do not believe and do not obey have to worry about the wrath of God - aka “children of wrath”
Back to Ephesians 2
v4 - But God, who is:
1) rich in mercy (see Luke 1:78)
2) has great love for us (Rom. 5:8)
3) has exceeding grace toward us (v7)
4) has kindness toward us (v7)
v8-9 - BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH -
Paul drive his point home with these 2 amazing verses - the gift of salvation is received by faith based on the love of God and not our works.
v10 - our works verify that we are indeed saved by faith. Also, we are “saved” by Jesus so we are now free to do good works – these good works are a unique aspect of our calling - what are you passionate about in terms of service to the Lord and for people? Do it!
Conclusions
1) know that you are loves by God! (grace, mercy, love, kindness, gift, poeima = poem = “workmanship” in v10)
2) know that you are saved by God! (faith displayed through works, fruit, conviction, and continuance) - justification, sanctification, glorification.
