A state of sin apart from Christ, is a state of spiritual death and bondage to Satan. A great and happy change is possible on the basis of Christ’s finished redemption whereby men are quickened to eternal life by faith apart from their own merits. God, the Father, is the Author of the plan, Christ, the Son, laid the foundation, and the Holy Spirit raises the superstructure.
Ephesians 2
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Ephesians 2 Intro – J. Vernon McGee
Ephesians 2 Intro continued – J. Vernon McGee
Ephesians 2:1-2 – J. Vernon McGee
Ephesians 2:3 – J. Vernon McGee
Ephesians 2:4-7 – J. Vernon McGee
Ephesians 2:8-10 – J. Vernon McGee
Ephesians 2:11-12 – J. Vernon McGee
Ephesians 2:13-18 – J. Vernon McGee
Ephesians 2:19-20 – J. Vernon McGee
Ephesians 2:21-22 – J. Vernon McGee
Ephesians 2:1-10 – What Grace Has Done
Evidently dead men may walk; that is, they may be dead to the eternal world but alive to this world, which is moving past like the films of a moving picture. The death of the spirit is compatible with much active interest in the course of this world. Behind the shifting scenes of the material is the great enemy of souls. As the Spirit of God works in the obedient, so does the evil spirit work in the disobedient. Note this trinity of evil—the course of this world, the lusts of our flesh, and the prince of the power of the air. If we desire to save men, we must be in living union with the all-conquering Spirit of Christ.
Notice, also, the past tense which describes the finality of Christ’s work, Ephesians 2:5-6. In the purpose of God we have been raised from the grave of sin and are seated with the risen Lord in the place of acceptance and victory. We were one with Christ when He lay in the grave and arose. In God’s thought we have already taken our seat with the glorified Christ upon the throne; only the pity is that we do not believe this or act as if we had done so. All this is the gift of God’s unmerited love. By grace have we been brought into this position, and by grace are we maintained in it. We are of God’s “workmanship“, Ephesians 2:10. We have been created for good works; they have been planned for us and we have only to walk in them. —Through the Bible Day by Day
Ephesians 2:10—We are his workmanship.
As the meter varies in the poems of a laureate, so does the course of one life differ from another; but God has a thought, a plan, a purpose for each. This lyric, that heroic, another dramatic.
Created for good works.—How carefully the apostle defines the true position of works in the divine life. In the foregoing verses he insists that we are not saved by our works, that none should boast; but, as though to meet the objection that his system was inconsistent with holy living, he affirms that the whole intention of God was that we should manifest our new life in Christ by the holy life in which it fruits. We were created in Him unto good works. Whatever good works may be demanded of you, dare to believe that you were created in Christ Jesus to do them. There is a perfect adjustment between the two.
The good works prepared.—Our new creation in Christ Jesus and the preparation of our life-work are due to the same mind. God who made us has prepared our path for us. It may lie up hill or down dale; may be lined with grassy sward or be full of jagged stones; may be short with the years of childhood or long with those of old age; may consist in lying on a couch to suffer or in strenuous activity—but every yard has been prepared.
Our daily walk.—We have not to cut or make our path; but simply to follow it, one step at a time. And when the heart or flesh fails, when the way seems too difficult, or the door too strait—we must look always unto Jesus, who has gone along the same track, asking that his righteousness may go before us, and set us in the way of his steps (Psalm 85:13). —Our Daily Homily
Ephesians 2:11-22 – Reconciled and United by the Cross
The state of the unconverted must be described by a series of negations. Shut the sun out of the world, love out of the home, liberty out of the state! The unsaved know not of their infinite loss; but if they could see what we inherit through union with Jesus, they could cease to wonder that we run not with them into the same excess of riot. Does a maiden need much persuasion to cast aside paste jewels when real ones are offered her!
There was no natural affinity between Jew and Gentile. This arose partly because of diverse nationality and genius; but in addition the whole code of Jewish customs as to eating clean meats and ceremonial pollution, prevented it. All these party-walls of division were swept away by Christ. In Him, as the cornerstone, two walls, running in different directions, met. Two sections of humanity, East and West, became united to each other, because each was united to Him, and thus was formed a new unit of humanity.
What a noble conception is given of the Church and ultimately of the redeemed race, growing slowly through the ages and becoming God’s dwelling-place! Notice the Trinity; through Jesus, the Eternal Father comes by His Spirit to dwell in the heart of man. —Through the Bible Day by Day