This morning I was reading in Ephesians 2, and as I read over it a couple of times I kept thinking of my families favorite Psalm; Psalm 121 and a quote attributed to Ben Franklin.
The quote attributed to Franklin is, “God helps those that help themselves.” But as I read Ephesians 2, it was clear that quote was completely inaccurate. The more times I read it, the more important Psalm 121 verses 1 and 2 became to me.
Psalms 121:1-2 (ESV)
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
God did not intend me to do all the work in my salvation, and just kind of help when I needed a little nudge. He was my Help. He was my strength, and He saved me when I was lost.
Ephesians 2:1-3
God saved me when I was in the midst of rebellion. I was dead in my trespasses, and He revived me. When I read verses 1-3, I shudder a bit as I consider where I was and where I am now.
Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV)
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Just thinking about what Paul says both humbles me and fills my heart with thanksgiving. It is hard for me to imagine that kind of love. A love so deep that God gave His Son to die for us while we were in the middle of a rebellion against Him. But in our rebellion, God demonstrated that love.
Ephesians 2:4-7
In the midst of our rebellion. God looked past all that and provided for us a means of salvation because of His rich mercy. I read these next four verses and try to let them soak in because they are so foreign to my human nature.
Ephesians 2:4-7 (ESV)
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
He made us, “even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” and He did it by grace. I like how Paul further describes it in Romans 8
Romans 8:12-17 (ESV)
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
What an amazing gift we have been given by God, and it is so amazing that Paul reminds us of its origin in the next three verses of Ephesians 2
Ephesians 2:8-10
Paul reminds us that this salvation is not of our own doing. As he said in the opening of this chapter, we were in a state of hopelessness and helpless without God or any hope in Him, but He saved us anyway…
Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
This salvation was not nor could not be earned; it came by grace through faith. We are God’s workmanship. He saved us by His grace through faith so that no one may boast. What a wonderful gift; one Paul does not want us to forget.
Ephesians 2:11-12
God knows our hearts. He knows that we have trouble remembering that is part of why we have His Word so that we can be in it always and not forget the gifts we have received. It is especially true for the Gentiles to whom he is writing and to me your basic modern-day gentile.
Ephesians 2:11-12 (ESV)
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
We had nothing when God chose to save us. We were not the chosen people we were without God and without hope, but that all changed with the cross and Jesus.
Ephesians 2:13-18 (ESV)
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
It is through Jesus that the wall between Jew and Gentile was torn down and two were made one in Christ Jesus. What a wonderful gift we have in Jesus. Paul continues into chapter 3 with another promise that he was sent to reveal.
Ephesians 3:1-6
He explained his reason for coming to the Gentiles and for teaching in Ephesus.
Ephesians 3:1-6 (ESV)
1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Paul reminds us that we are fellow heirs and partakers of the promise through Jesus through the Gospel. This mystery is to be shared.
Closing Thoughts
As I look over this group of verses that Paul shared, I am left humbled, thankful and rejoicing. I am put in mind of the first few verses of John 1.
John 1:1-5 (ESV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
He came and showed us the truth of His word. He lived the perfect life and paid the debt that I owed for my sins. He did it when I was in the midst of my sin. He did not come and say, “If you clean up your act and show you can live right will pay your debt.” He simply paid it and drew me to Himself. He gave me the Gospel to share with others that they too might hear this good news. What a wonderful God I serve.
Prayer
Father, thank you for Your Word. Thank you for the joy that comes from the Gospel. I pray Lord that I may never lose sight of all that you have done and continue to do for me. I pray that I might simply serve as you chose in Jesus name, Amen!
I know it has been a while since I have posted. I have had some more issues with focus and found it more and more difficult to read and stay focused on a task of late, but the Lord has helped me with a solution; a workaround if you will. Now I listen to the Word as I read it and that seems to be helping quite a bit. With this fresh start, I have felt compelled to study in Ephesians.