God’s grace and salvation for you

Ephesians 2:1-22
¶ 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.

The apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, from which this astonishing scripture comes, give us a detailed explanation of the amazing grace of God and His gift of salvation made possible by the blood sacrifice of Jesus the Christ.

There’s so much that can be learned from this passage of scripture, so let’s go through line by line to fully understand the greatness of God’s gift.

Ephesians 2:1-2
¶ 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:

First, let’s recognize that Paul is speaking, or rather writing, to those in the Church or the body of believers at Ephesus who were baptized into the Church, the body of Christ. This is the “you“ who once “were dead in trespasses and sins.”

Before they became in Christ, or became Christian believers of Jesus, they were “dead” in sins and their trespasses against God. For the wages of sin is death.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When we formerly sinned and walked in our trespasses against God, we walked contrary to God according to the course of this present world, according to the prince of this world, Satan, a spirit which works in the children of disobedience, or all unbelievers.

Ephesians 2:3
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.

As formerly unbelievers, we once walked in ways contrary to God, conformed to this evil world with our thinking and fleshly desires and selfish wants and the ways we lived our lives being by nature the children of wrath, or those formerly without hope to be under God’s wrath and the curse of death, like all mankind who were born under the curse of Adam and Eve’s sin.

Read on in the next lines we see that hopeless fate change, and a great hope is given.

Ephesians 2:4-7
¶ 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.

“But God”, God who is so very rich in mercy, as the Psalms repeatedly state God’s mercy endures forever, and his great love that he loves us with; that even while we were dead in our sins (sinners), God (washed us of our sins) made us alive together with Christ Jesus, for ultimately it is God’s grace by which we are saved.

In this process of God’s salvation, God has raised us up together with Jesus and made us to sit in the heavenly places of Christ Jesus. In this salvation, God shows us the surpassing riches of His sovereign grace and that of His amazing kindness towards us through Jesus the Christ our Lord.

Ephesians 2:8
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.

For by God’s grace, we are saved by our faith in Jesus, the Christ. We are justified by our faith, and not by any means of ourselves or our own ability or our works (or works of the law of God). This amazing grace of God is a gift given to us solely by God.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

For God has created us anew in Christ Jesus to do the good works, walking in righteousness.

Ephesians 2:11-12
¶ 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:

Therefore, remembering that prior to coming to faith in Christ Jesus, we were once as Gentiles in the flesh who were uncircumcised in the flesh and aliens to the children of Israel, and strangers from God’s covenants of promise, having no hope lost without God in the world.

Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

But now, having had the faith in Jesus the Christ being baptized into the body of believers, we who were formerly afar off (being Gentiles and strangers) from God, we are now brought near to God by the blood sacrifice of Jesus the Christ on the cross.

Ephesians 2:14-16
¶ 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:

For Christ is our peace, who hath made both Gentiles and Israelites both the same body acceptable to God having abolished in his flesh (blood sacrifice on the cross) both the curse of sin (on all mankind) and the curses of the law of God (made with Israel) for to make in Christ one body (of believers) by faith in Christ, having finished the atonement for all sin on the cross by his holy blood (the blood of the lamb).

Ephesians 2:17-18
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

And Christ came and preached peace to you (Gentiles) which were far off and to them who were near (Jews) that through faith in Jesus the Christ all (Israelites, Jews, and Gentiles) would have access to one Spirit, the Father.

Ephesians 2:19-22
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.

And now you (those in Christ) are no longer strangers or foreigners, but fellow heirs with Israel, fellow citizens with the saints (Israel) and of the household or (the Israel of God) and are built upon the foundation of the apostles of Jesus and prophets of the Old Testament with the promises of the covenants all made possible by the chief cornerstone Jesus the Christ in whom we all are built fitly framed together as in the holy temple of God, in which the Holy Spirit of Almighty God inhabits!

What an amazing explanation of the revelation God gave to Paul of the glorious gospel of grace, the good news of the salvation of God made possible by the blood sacrifice of His dear Son Jesus, the Christ!

What amazing grace! What bountiful love God has for His creation mankind to save us sinners, to think of us when we were yet lost in our sins and trespasses to bring us a great hope of the salvation of God and eternal life through our Lord Jesus the Christ!

What depths of forgiveness and mercy God had on his sinful chosen people of Israel that He would remember his faithful promises, and so establish a new covenant of mercy and grace!

What amazing love, mercy, and grace that God would make a way for the Gentiles who were once far away from the promises of God (outcasts), that through Christ they too might be accepted of God and made a part of the family of God with the Israel of God and share in the promises and the glory given to His chosen people Israel.

Paul wrote to the church at Rome why he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ.

Romans 1:16-17
¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

It’s that Gospel that can save even the worst sinner today, the man or woman who has been born into sin and those who were born of a lineage born under the law of God, the ancestors of Israelite origin. This Gospel is for all men and women all mankind, all sinners and transgressors against God.

If you would only have faith in Jesus and believe into Christ Jesus and be baptized in his atoning blood sacrifice!

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

God is now calling someone who is a sinner, lost without a hope.

But I’m here to tell you there is great hope for you!

If you are not yet walking in Christ, but living according to this present world far from the ways and grace of God and do not yet know of Jesus Christ I invite you now to learn of Jesus.

Do you know Jesus died for your sins!

Do you know Jesus?

If you do know Jesus, then you might want to read this study on the blood of the lamb.

Are you covered by the blood of the lamb?

May God bless you with the grace of our Lord Jesus the Christ!