Made Alive in Christ
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
My Understanding: I think sometimes we get this picture of love, which means only that we do nice things for people, say sweet things to them, do the kinds of things they like to do, and give out compliments and encouraging words that make them feel good about themselves, etc. That is partly how we show love, but that’s only one part of it. That’s the kind of showing love we enjoy, though, isn’t it? I mean, who doesn’t like to say and receive nice words, hugs, compliments (sincere ones), have people do the things we like to do, etc.? It makes us feel good all over to be either on the giving or receiving end of such love.
Yet there is another aspect of love that we may not like very much at all, and that is called “tough love,” i.e. saying the hard things and the things that need to be said even if it is not pleasant saying them or receiving them. Yet, this is just as much love, and maybe more so at times, than the kind that makes people happy and feel good inside. Ephesians 4 calls this “speaking the truth in love.” And, sometimes the truth hurts. Surgery hurts, too, but sometimes it is necessary for healing. And, oftentimes God has to do heart surgery on us first before he can bring the much needed healing to our hearts, minds and emotions, too.
Paul, in this letter to the Ephesians, was showing both the gracious kind of love, in giving out many encouraging words, and this kind of “tough love” here to the church in Ephesus, when he reminded them of where they used to be outside of Christ, and he reminded them, too, of all that Christ Jesus did for them. It is not until chapter four, though, that we understand completely why he reminded them of their pasts and of how they used to follow the ways of the world and Satan, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient; and of how they used to gratify the cravings of their sinful nature by following its thoughts and desires.
Our Pasts
Outside of Christ they (we) were spiritually dead, i.e. they (we) were objects of God’s wrath and were destined for eternal punishment in hell. They (we) were in bondage and slavery to sin so that they (we) fulfilled its lusts and desires in their (our) lives. Yet, because of God’s great love for all of us he, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions and sins.
What this means is that we did nothing to earn or deserve salvation. Jesus did not save us because of our own righteousness and good works. He died on the cross, taking upon himself all of our sins. He put our sins to death, and he was resurrected to life in conquering death, hell, Satan and sin so that we could go free, not only from the ultimate penalty of sin, but free from the control of sin over our daily lives. And, He did this while we were still dead in our sins. That is why Paul reminded us here that we are saved by grace through faith, and not by anything we have done within ourselves or through good works. Salvation and even the faith to believe are gifts from God. We just have to appropriate to our lives what he has already done for us in conquering sin and in providing the way of salvation.
And, we are to show that same kind of love to others, too. We don’t have to die on a cross for the sins of others, though it is possible that we may die physically because of another’s sin. We cannot take upon ourselves the sins of the world, yet when we are involved in the process of restoring a fallen brother or sister back to a right relationship with God, we do take upon ourselves the pain of that individual’s sin in caring enough about the person to tell him or her the truth about his or her sin and what he or she needs to do to be free from the control of that sin. We certainly die to our own selves when we do this, because we risk encountering his or her wrath against us for exposing the sin and in calling for repentance.
Yet, we must be willing to risk our very lives and our own reputations in order to share the truth of the gospel, to be a light in this dark world, and to show people how to turn from sin, and how they can be set free from the power of sin over their lives. Yet, we must do this in humility, making sure we are walking with the Lord first (Gal. 6:1-5). And, we must be living examples of how to live for Jesus Christ if we are to be his witnesses and his messengers in telling others how to be free, so that the messages are not discredited.
God’s Workmanship
Although we are not saved by works, works are not absent from salvation. The last verse in this passage states: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
And, this, I believe, goes to the heart of Paul’s message here to the Ephesian church in reminding them both of where they were outside of Christ and of what Jesus Christ did for them in saving them from their sins so they could go free. And, this leads us to chapter four, which I will share, in part, in summary of what I believe was Paul’s ultimate goal here in chapter two.
Paul said “then” I urge you… I believe he was referring back to all he had said previous to this. The meaning of “then” was to let them know that consequently, or as a result of all he had previously discussed with them, both in fact (knowledge) and in practical application to their lives, they should live lives worthy of the calling they had received. And, then he spelled it out for them – be humble, gentle, and patient, bearing with one another in love. Become mature in Christ and in the faith so that there is unity in the faith among you - no longer behaving like infants, being tossed back and forth by whatever wave of doctrine or teaching suits you at the moment. As well, we should not be led astray “by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” “Instead, SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE, we will in all things grow up into him who the Head, that is, Christ.”
And, then he continued:
“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
“You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
And, then Paul gave some very practical examples of how we can put off our old self, to be made new in the attitude of our minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Many people get this idea that God’s grace means God does it all and we do nothing. That is not true! We don’t earn salvation through good works but that does not mean that nothing is required of us or that works are completely absent in salvation. God requires that the former way of life we used to live, as described in Ephesians two, is done away with at the cross of Christ when we believe in Christ by faith. That is why Jesus died. The old “us” should be gone and we should become someone else. The problem is that too many people try to add Jesus on top of their old selves and they think he is satisfied with that, but scripture proves differently. We can’t put new wine into old wine skins or they will burst. Or, if we clean out the old but we don’t fill it with the new, the old will eventually come back and maybe even bring many friends with it.
So, Paul said we need to stop telling lies and we need to become truth tellers. Those who are thieves need to not just stop stealing, and they need to work, doing something useful with their hands, so they can share with those in need. Don’t use foul language any more. Say things that are helpful to people according to their needs. Get rid of bitterness and the like and be kind and compassionate with one another, forgiving one another as Christ has forgiven us. In other words, Jesus died so that our old lives of sin could also die and he was resurrected to life so that we could be raised from these bodies of sin and death to new lives in Christ Jesus. We have to close the doors on our former ways of living as described both in chapter two and here in chapter four, and we have to become new creatures in Christ Jesus, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. If we do not change and we do not have this transformation of the heart to where we become someone else and all we do is just try to live better lives, the old is bound to creep back in and take over.
So, if you are struggling with any sin issues in your lives, know that Jesus died so that you could go free. You don’t have to be controlled by sin any longer. Also know that by God’s grace and in his power at work within you, you can become different people, not perfect, but ones who are no longer living to gratify the sinful nature and its desires, but ones who are faithful in committing their lives to full obedience to Jesus Christ by putting off the deeds of darkness and by putting on the works of righteousness, by God’s grace and in his power.
If you stop stealing for a period of time but you don’t work and help meet the needs of others, you are just a thief between jobs. We have to become new in Christ. There needs to be a heart transformation and a turning from sin and a determination to walk in obedience. I pray for all who are still willfully giving into sin, and its desires within them to obey its lusts, to grasp the truth of what Christ did for us in truly freeing us so that we can become new creatures in Christ Jesus, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. I pray for you that today you will make a conscious choice of your will(s) to close that chapter on your former way of life and that you will allow the Holy Spirit of God to make you into the new creature(s) you were created to be in Christ Jesus, free from the power of sin.
God’s Great Commands / An Original Work / July 10, 2011
Based off of Matthew 22:34-40
Loving God and loving others
Are the Lord God’s great commands.
On these rest all of the others;
Live by them and you’ll not fail.
Be a witness, share the gospel,
Be a light in this dark world.
Share the love of Jesus always
To a world who has not heard.
Serving others; be like Jesus;
Wash their feet and pray with them.
Be a healer; mend their hurts and
Show them how to turn from sin.
Be a living example of
How to live for Jesus Christ,
Walking with Him in His footsteps,
Leading others to new life.
Give to God and give to others
Of yourselves in ev’ry way.
Obey your Lord, do His bidding;
Bow your knees and humbly pray.
Pray for others to know Jesus.
Tell how they can be set free
Of their sins and live for Jesus;
Walk with Him eternally.
Song Lyrics @ Public Domain
Audio, song lyrics and sheet music at:
https://sites.google.com/site/psalmshymnssongs/home/songs/god-s-great-commands
Song on video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DWGg3-NvEE
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