"The Glorious Life of Christ, Part Two"
Ephesians 2:1-7

April 20, 2008
by C.W. Powell

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.” (Eph 2:1-7)

This great second chapter of Ephesians follows upon chapter one, and it is developing the them that the church is the body of Christ and the Holy Spirit is working to complete the body of Christ. This is the reason that Paul prays: [Ephesians 1]:

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us–ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

How is the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, that raised Jesus from the dead, affect the church. The answer is a simple one: It is manifested by the transformation of those dead in trespasses and sins into living images of Jesus Christ, working faith, hope, and charity in them.

As we saw last week, the state of everyone of us was deadness in trespasses and in sins. We were in a state of spiritual deadness, because we had no fruit toward God, but were in bondage to the devil, bound in the chains of the desires of the flesh and of the mind. We were the children of Adam’s disobedience, walking after the course of the world, knowing only what men know naturally. We were the children of wrath, richly deserving the wrath of God just as everyone else in the world, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Now, we have set the table, and before us is one of the most precious treasures in the Word of God, worthy of Paul’s prayer, 1:17 “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:”

Let us pray for that spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him as we look at the words of verse 4-7.

Vs. 4: God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.

Mercy indicates that we do not deserve his love. He didn’t love us because of what he saw in us: that is the difference between our love and His love. God’s love moved His will, and His will determined the election form the foundation of the world. This is the great mystery that we will never be able to fathom. Romans 8:33-36 "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."

Vs. 5. Because we were united to Christ, we were quickened. We were not made alive in order to be united to Christ, but we were united to Christ in order to be made alive. We were united with Him in his death: Our sins were laid on Him. His death was our death to sin. Note these Scriptures:

a. “4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa 53:4-6)

b. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Ro 6:6)

c. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Ga 2:20)

d. “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Ga 6:14)

e. “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Ga 5:24 )

f. Two things taught: 2. That our sins were laid on Him by God almighty, by His eternal decree. “I pray for them, I pray not for the world.” He did not die for those for whom He did not pray. 2. By faith I receive the message of the Gospel, so that I join my sins to Christ and agree with the message of the Gospel. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Being united to Christ, our death becomes His death, so that His life might become our life. This is all of grace. Mercy without any merit of ours. We cannot become un-united to Him, so that when he is raised, we are raised.

g. This why Paul would say, if Christ be not raise, we are yet in our sins; we are of all men most miserable.

h. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Co 5:21)

i. Because His is made sin, he must die the death of a sinner. So our sin results in His death; and that means that His death is our death.

ii. Therefore His resurrection is our resurrection; Because the resurrection was His victory over sin and death and hell, His resurrection is our victory over sin and death and hell. Sin cannot hold us in death and misery

iii. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2Co 5:17)

i. We repeat that this is all of grace.

Vs. 6. Not only are we united to Christ in his death and resurrection, we are also united to Him in his ascension into Heaven. We are with Christ in Heaven and there is therefore no doubt as to the result of Christ’s work. Let us hear what our Lord said in John 14:

“1 ¶ Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (Joh 14:1-3)

Also: “2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1Jo 3:2-3)

“17 ¶ Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1Jo 4:17-21)

Our conversation is therefore in heaven: We are a heavenly people: act like it.

“17 ¶ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” (Eph 4:17-25)

This new life consists of Faith, Hope, Charity, the theme of all this Scripture that I have read. This is the precise work of the Holy Spirit. Our faith is in Chrsit; our hope is in heaven and eternal life; our charity is toward our brothers and sisters. All of this is for the glory of God.

Verse 7. The purpose is the eternal glory and praise of God forever. We are to be trophies in the Heavenly Trophy case. To show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Amen and Amen. May God Bless you.

Amen and Amen.