He wished to sing of Cadmus; but his harp resounded love alone; and so the harp of Paul resounds with Christ alone, Christ alone. Are we as good sons and daughters as we might be? We must have faith. Such is the truth, if indeed we have learnt the Christ as God teaches Him. The devil seems to have some power (by God's permission) in the lower region of the air; there he is at hand to tempt men, and to do as much mischief to the world as he can: but it is the comfort and joy of God's people that he who is head over all things to the church has conquered the devil and has him in his chain. They should thank God there is an escape, it has been provided by Jesus Christ. It was entirely unconnected with the world. He will bring him in everywhere. (i) Paul insists that it is by grace that we are saved. Just as the Canaanites tried to keep the Israelites out of the land which God assured Moses the tribes were to have for their possession, so Satan's great effort is to hinder the saints of God from realizing their blessedness in heavenly places. That which comforted his soul was Christ in heavenly glory far above all things. In the Greek text Ephesians 2:1-7 are one sentence. Then the diversities are brought before us. Paul had begun by saying that, as we are, we are dead in sins and trespasses; now he says that God in his love and mercy has made us alive in Jesus Christ. Lastly, "one God and Father of all." CALL TO WORSHIP Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. 8For it is by grace(P) you have been saved,(Q) through faith(R)and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God 9not by works,(S) so that no one can boast. In the sense that their only king was God. This leads toEphesians 3:1-21; Ephesians 3:1-21, in which the apostle unfolds things parenthetically. May God save you now, ere you shall come to that consummation for which hell so sighs, and which heaven can alone avert. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. (i) He made both Jew and Gentile into one new man. Intended for Reading on Lord's-day, July 31st, 1892, At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, OUR TRANSLATORS, as you observe, have put in the words "hath he quickened", because Paul had thrown the sense a little farther on, and it was possible for the reader not to catch it. Christ did not do the same thing with the young man that he did with the daughter of Jairus. Here are some indexes that might be helpful. Each of them with ten arrows, and one after another they would shoot their arrow through the hoop there at the top of the pole. Look back to what you used to be, to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged: "You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.". It is not a conferred position, however blessed, but practical enjoyment even that Christ Himself might be habitually the object before them, now that all question of deliverance and blessing was settled in their favour. You canna hear George Matheson preach and live in a cellar." But outside of Christ the message is true. At first a man engages in some forbidden pleasure because he wants to do so; in the end he engages in it because he cannot help doing so. "Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit." 4But because of his great love for us,(H) God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions(I)it is by grace you have been saved. Everybody is doing it." This is the point. It is sensitive about sin; detects and detests it thoroughly. Tell a fish in the sea there is no water. As spiritual death is nothing else than the alienation of the soul from God, we are all born as dead men, and we live as dead men, until we are made partakers of the life of Christ, agreeably to the words of our Lord, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. (John 5:25). 9:2). 4, 5. Everything else in Ephesians 2:1-7 is of subordinate importance. New to this blog? All this, it will be observed, is consequent on the cross. In Christ it was, of course, absolutely perfect: He did give Himself for us. WebSelect from the options below to find worship ideas that fit what you're looking for. What does that mean? The apostle treats it as our business diligently to observe it. Are we as good parents as we might be? When he was suffering for his fall, he wrote his book De Profundis and in it he said: "The gods had given me almost everything. 11. 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. ~ survey response Gideon's answer was: "I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you" ( Judges 8:23). Scripturally-based resources for worship planners and leaders. "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.". [3] Alfred Barry, Ellicott's Commentary on the Holy Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), Vol. That is what the Church should be like. More than this; for "no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church." Paul closes this passage with a great exposition of that paradox which always lies at the heart of his view of the gospel. What has all the confusion of men to do with the glorious reality that God has established His unity, of which we all form part by the power of His Spirit? And God was almost a boogieman to us. It is a priceless boon to have the right to go to some lovely and wise and saintly person at any time; to have the right to break in upon him, to take our troubles, our problems, our loneliness, our sorrow to him. Do you remember when the new life came into you? Its construction was very elegant; upon it stood pillars at equal distances from one another, declaring the law of purity, some in Greek and some in Roman letters that no foreigner should go within the sanctuary" (The Wars of the Jews, 5, 5, 2). This also answers to the grand doctrine of this epistle. They said that they did not know. Both are shown to have been alike guilty and in need of God's mercy. Where these are made and kept right, we can then safely follow what God will show us in due time, but not otherwise. In Christ we are made new through his blood; In Christ we are forgiven, signed with the Spirit. Our English word sin comes from a root "to miss." But this was not enough. (ii) He reconciled both to God. (iv) The Gentiles were strangers from the covenants on which the promises were based. - FSB. The have but anticipated the statement of the fourth and fifth verses: "God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.". (119) He does not mean simply that they were in danger of death; but he declares that it was a real and present death under which they labored. Then, everything surprises you. And he would have to treat the rest of the fellows to the drinks. It creeps along, pleased to make any kind of progress; and when it gets up on its little feet, it moves from one chair to another, trembling at every step it takes, and presently, down it goes. The Rabbi refused. Could the apostle say that to you, and to me? It is not at all put as a question of command according to the law; but "God had before prepared," as a part of His wonderful scheme, "that we should walk in them." 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.(AZ). Far be it from us just to know that He loves us through the word of God, as a security to us, like a dry parchment deed of gift that we quietly keep in a strong box. They draw their inspiration from another fount, from a desire to walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air. In other words, the Son of God never was made the Son, He is never even called the child ( ) of God. It is affirmed here of those to whom Paul wrote at Ephesus, that before they were converted, they were dead in sins. There is not anywhere a more explicit proof of depravity than this, and no stronger language can be used. The priest told them gently that he was bound to ask if their comrade had been a baptized adherent of the Roman Catholic Church. "Deep in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore.". Paul could not forget, because it was a fact of history, that the Jews were uniquely the instrument in God's hand. There is some perplexity in the language; but, if we attend carefully to what the apostle says about those two parts, the meaning is clear. How could it be otherwise, seeing that He who sits on His throne, tar above every creature in God's presence and in all ages, is a man, but withal the very Son of God? In times past you meandered according to the course of this world. (118) To bring home more effectually to the Ephesians the general doctrine of Divine grace, he reminds them of their former condition. See how Paul keeps harping on that one string. They are both the cause of death and the evidence of death. ~ written by Thom Shuman (2009), and posted on. What is the value of any other unity? We all benefit from your creativity and generosity. "Oh!" A corpse is insensible. They had seen the ways of God with man, and with Israel; and surely they had entered into the glory of God that was involved in all His ways. There is a world of difference in being dead in sins, as here, and being dead to sin in Christ Jesus. Oh, what a change from the past to the present! Let this then rest in His hands. What you think that you and I knew from our birth, we did not so know; we had to learn it. Reader 1 There is a response in this reading. 3. (ii) The Gentiles had no hope of a Messiah. This is his purpose, his ordinance, to which he will always stand. All the good works in the world cannot put us right with God; but there is something radically wrong with the Christianity which does not issue in good works. Do we discipline and train our children as we ought, or do we often shirk the issue? to live in the praise of his glorious grace! (T) 10For we are Gods handiwork,(U) created(V) in Christ Jesus to do good works,(W) which God prepared in advance for us to do. 2. In point of fact, from his conversion right through, the revelation of the mystery was involved. gain access to 50+ premium resources to enhance your study of Scripture. Web14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its children of God, citizens of the Kingdom. 3. The Papists, who are eager to seize every opportunity of undervaluing the grace of God, say, that while we are out of Christ, we are half dead. He gives them new life, and he does this on the basis of Christs death and resurrection. "Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." Having walked in the will of God, I cannot understand why any man would fear it. I was no longer the captain of my soul, and did not know it. That is our relationship to God. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------. You cannot pray a single prayer aright without Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I cannot tell that I have many; but still I have some. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, God loved us even when we were dead in sins. At the same time there is no exclusion of Gentile believers, but the reverse. He came and preached peace to you who were far off. Whether we were corrupt or not, is not a question that I need to raise here; let everyone judge concerning himself. The Lord bless you, for Jesus' sake. 19. my dear friends, my much loved friends, how many there are among you, I repeat, that are all that the heart could wish, except that one thing that you love not my Master.