From a Wicked Past to a Glorious Future
Eph 2:1-10
7-8-07 

Before we were saved we were in a terrible condition described in detail by Paul.  But once we received the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, our horrible situation was changed instantaneously into a wonderful life with a glorious future.  We are saved by his grace [8].  That is Christ has already done for us everything that is required to save us, the work is finished.  All we need to do is put our faith in his finished work on Calvary [8].  In fact our salvation is a gift to us by God [8].  Therefore, there is not a good work that a man can do to save himself [9, Tit 3:5].  If he could he would boast as all religious sinners do who hope to gain heaven by their good works [9].

Now let’s see our true condition before our salvation and let’s see the change as a result of our salvation.

Before we were saved we:

·    Were dead in trespasses and sins – 1 – at birth we are alive physically and spiritually until we sin with the knowledge of sin [Deut 1:39; Mk 10:14; Rom 7:7-9; Rom 4:15] – after that we are still physically alive but now we are spiritually dead and in need of the new birth to enter the kingdom of God [Jn 3:3]

·    Walked according to – 2:

o       The world – the course of this world –  we followed the course of this evil world, which passes away and leads to death and destruction [Gal 1:4; 1 Jn 2:15-17; Prov 14:12]

o       The devil - the prince of the power of the air – the devil has power over the world and people in the world without Christ follow the way the devil directs them [Lk 4:5-6; Jn 8:44]

o       An evil spirit - the spirit that is now working in the children of disobedience – there is “a spirit of the age” and men without Christ are affected by that spirit which leads to disobedience against God [1 Sam 15:22-23; Ex 32:1-9] – the sprit of rebellion in our age is leading our nation away from obedience to the words of God – the problem is spiritual and therefore the solution is spiritual, not political

·    Talked about the lusts of our flesh – 3 – that’s all we knew to talk about [2 Pet 2:7] – that’s why Hollywood movies, for instance, are filled with sex, violence, foul language and blasphemy and that’s why people like to watch them

·    Fulfilled the desires of the flesh and of the mind – 3 – because we were walking in the flesh and didn’t have the Spirit of God in us, we had no power against the lusts of the flesh to keep from fulfilling them [Gal 5:16] – furthermore, though we knew the lusts of the flesh were killing us, we had pleasure in them anyway [Rom 1:32]

·    Were by nature the children of wrath – 3 – the end for every man without Christ is a lake of fire [Rev 20:15] – the wrath of God abides on everyone of them [Jn 3:36]

When we were saved by the mercy and love of God [4], we:

·    Were quickened – 5 – we were alive spiritually [1 Jn 5:12; Jn 5:24]

·    Raised up and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ – 6 – what a phenomenal result; we are already “on the other side” – since we have been baptized by the Holy Spirit into Jesus Christ, we are members of his body, literally [1 Cor 12:13; Eph 5:30-32] – therefore, since his body is seated at the right hand of God [Heb 1:3], and we are in him, we are seated at the right hand of God, too

·    Became recipients of his grace and kindness – 7 – we are saved by grace and we continue to live by his grace daily as we live our new lives in Christ [2 Cor 12:9; 2 Cor 9:8] -  in the ages to come Jesus will still be showing us more of the exceeding riches of his grace

·    Began walking in good works toward God – 10 – we were not only saved to have life but we were saved to do good works for the Lord – every Christian therefore should be doing those good things God has equipped him by his grace to do [Tit 2:7; 2:24: 3:1; 3:8; 3:14]

 

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