X Gospel

Category: Ephesians, The Obvious

  • God’s Masterpiece

    Eph 2:10 NLT

    For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

    The Creator

    God created all things. There is one that He created in His image. He created mankind like Himself. Creative, emotional, communicative. This was all ruined by a poor decision, which is not what we are going to focus on today.

    God had in mind a relationship with people, for whom He would provide, and from whom He would receive thankfulness and worship.

    Take Two

    Mankind ruined what God had intended, which by the way was not a surprise to God. But, He had a plan, to make that ruined relationship a masterpiece again.

    In Christ Jesus He has made us new again. Restored that intended relationship. He has made His masterpiece.

    Now What

    Did He make us new again to simply rescue a lost people? No, He made us new again so that we can do the good things He has planned for us.

    We have to live the life He intends for us to live, daily. We can’t warm a church pew, and walk away from Him for the rest of the week. He made us new to do!

  • Done For Us

    Eph 2:9 NLT

    Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

    Salvation

    God had to step in to save us. There was no hope any other way. There is no good thing we can do to earn our salvation. There is no pious life we can live to earn salvation. There are no religious rights we can do to earn salvation. There is no club, church, religion, denomination, sect, monastery that will do.

    Salvation is from God, of God, for God’s glory, by His grace, on His terms.

    There is nothing you, or I can do to make that any different. Accept salvation, God’s way, and rejoice in it!

    Humility

    The question is are we humble enough to accept God’s way?

    Almost none of us like hand-outs. Often we feel the need to contribute to our salvation. That is out of pride. A pride that is baseless. We have nothing of value to give to God, no matter how high an opinion we may hold of ourselves.

    We have to humble ourselves, and accept the complete work of Christ as the only way we can be saved from separation from God, from death.

    “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up!”

  • God Did It

    Eph 2:8 NLT

    God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

    The Saving

    God is the one who does the saving. We can’t save ourselves, and we for sure can’t save others. God is the one who made it possible for us to be saved. Saved from what?

    • Being separated from God, forever.
    • Being dead in sin.
    • Being lost in sin.
    • Living a life of darkness
    • Doing bad things.
    • Living foolishly.
    • Hopelessness.

    This list is not exhaustive.

    God made a way to make us right again with Him. We were lost, without hope, doomed in sin. That sin had to be removed, and there was a price to remove that sin. Jesus, God in flesh, died in our place, our stead, so that we wouldn’t have to, and so that we could actually live.

    Our Part

    Is there a part that we have to play in our being saved? Only believe! We did not possess the righteousness to make that payment, but Christ did. Now we have to accept His grace, His charity, His generosity. Just like Abraham who “believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness” we believe God for the new life He wants to give to any who will believe Him.

  • Life and Heavenly Realms

    Eph 2:6 NLT

    For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.

    Life

    So Paul is making a big deal out of us being dead in sin before believing Christ.

    He repeats, He raised us from the dead. That would be spiritual death, being separated from God.

    • He raised us from the dead along with Christ
    • Seated us in the heavenly realms

    Why? Because we were united with Christ. We are now alive, and no longer separated from God.

    Heavenly Realms

    What is a realm? It is literally a kingdom. So what does this scripture mean?

    When we were dead, separated from God, we were also under the authority of Satan, we were in the kingdom of Satan, the realm of Satan.

    Now as we believe Christ. He has removed us from the realm of Satan, and placed us in the heavenly realms.

    Why seated? Who sits in a kingdom? The king! We are joint heirs with Christ, Kings and Priests, and Jesus is the King of kings.

    So because of the complete work of Christ on the cross. He has made us alive in Him, removed us from the authority of Satan, and raised us to the status of sons of God.

  • Dead, Alive, Grace

    Eph 2:5 NLT

    that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

    Dead

    For believers being dead is done. It is in our past. So let’s leave it there. You don’t go around digging up dead smelly things, so it is the same with what and who we were before Christ. Forget it, it’s dead!

    Life

    This is also a past done deal. We have life because of the work of Christ. He raised us from the dead with Christ. We are alive in Christ, with Christ to live a life for Christ, an abundant life. So live it!

    Grace

    It is only by God’s grace that we are saved. We are saved from death. We are saved for life. All through God’s grace. Not because we are great people, but because God is gracious. Praise Him!

  • God’s Mercy

    Eph 2:4 NLT

    But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,

    God’s Love

    It is mind boggling to think that God, who knows all, sees all. God from whom nothing can be hidden away, loves mankind as He does. He does not only love those who love Him, no, all of us, from the most debased to the most righteous.

    What is it that He wants from us? That we love Him!

    Everyday He pours out on all of us his great mercies, why, because He wants us to love Him back.

    Jesus when asked what the greatest commandment was answered. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and the second is just like it, Love your neighbor as yourself.”

  • Who We Were

    Eph 2:3 NLT

    All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

    Used To

    Notice again the “used to.” This is what we all were before Christ. It is what everyone is, driven by passions, and inclinations of our sinful nature. Used to means that this is no longer the way it is. There is a change when we believe Christ.

    So, what changes? Christ gives us new life, He gives us His Spirit, so now we have a choice, to live in a way that pleases God, or, to live in a way that does not please God.

    This was not a choice before receiving the new life that we are given by Christ.

    Now that we have this new life, we must pursue it, for that pleases God!

  • Who You Were

    Eph 2:2 NLT

    You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

    Used To

    So now, because we are alive in Christ. We have a now life path. We used to live in the sinful ways, directed by Satan. Now, we have new life, as we saw in the previous verses.

    Since we are now under the authority of Christ, we have the life that can be lived holy.

    We must not make excuses for poor behavior in ourselves, se need to look to Christ who has made us alive to live in the power that He has given us to live a righteous life.

    He hasn’t left us to our own devices to live a righteous life, He has made us alive with him, and in the coming verses, Paul explains the wonderful resources that Christ has given us to live for Him.

  • Alive!

    Eph 2:1 NLT

    Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.

    You Were Dead

    “Once you were dead.” What are the implications of were dead? The implication is that believers in Christ are now alive.

    This means that we have to stop looking ahead for the new life in Christ, He has already given it to us.

    Maybe we believers need to stop living like the dead. We need to take up the life that Jesus has given us now!

  • Christ’s Body

    Eph 1:23 NLT

    And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

    Not the Building

    The church is not the building that we meet in. We still need to learn that God can’t live in a building built by hands. He can however live in the building of His church, which is the body of Christ.

    We the believers are His body, His Church, and we are not built by hands. We are living stones.

    We, the church, are not a dead body, but alive and filled with Christ, to do of His good pleasure.