Pastor Rockwell / FROM DEATH TO LIFE


Pastor Jerry Rockwel

FROM DEATH TO LIFE

Ephesians 2:1-10

Introduction: This section of Ephesians is one of the significant passages dealing with the salvation process. Paul lays out the process and the problems faced by people confronted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, he begins with an essential phrase in vs. 1, “And you hath he quickened. . .” It is to be noted that Paul is talking to saved people, and “quickened” means “made alive.” Note that it is in italics, which indicates Greek does not support the words. So, one might ask why the translators put these words in the text. The word “quickened” is also used in Ephesians 2:5 where it says “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).” The addition of “And you hath he quickened. . .” in vs. 1, the context makes sense. Paul is writing to the people in Ephesus who trusted Christ and wants them to understand where they have come from and what they now have in Christ. The verses 1-10 are a statement of what God has done in bringing lost people to Christ. Christians must understand they have come from “death” to “life” spiritually. This is possible because of the resurrection of Christ. Charles Hodge, a theologian long ago, said, “The same power which quickened Christ has quickened you.” Paul gives an explanation of the condition people are in as lost people and how God overcame this problem with man. He said in Romans 5:15-18 (KJV), “15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” [Emphasis added.] This is the matter being discussed in Ephesians 2:1-10, which is a clear statement of how God made reconciliation effective for lost mankind. A verse prior to Romans 5:15ff says Romans 5:10 (KJV), “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” The following study is a demonstration of how man is reconciled to God. The word “reconcile” means, “to restore friendly relations between to parties. 

  1. OUR PAST, Ephesians 2:1-3. A critical point in vss. 2-3 is Paul’s explanation of the condition of the lost person. They are under the influence of three enemies of the things of God: the world (vs. 2), the Devil (“the prince of the power of the air,” vs. 2), and the flesh (vs. 3). These three verses describes the condition of believers before they understand the gospel and are transformed by the power of God. 
  1. We Were Dead, vs. 1. This verse does not discuss “physical” death but “spiritual death.” Adam sent humanity spiritually into the condition of being dead; thus “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23; 5:10). This first verse is simply calling attention to the fact that the listener of the words of this text are reminded from whence they came and where they are after being transformed by Jesus Christ. Hoehner points out that being dead “. . .shows the state or condition before God took action.” The two words “trespasses and sins” (vs. 1) state the condition and state of a lost person. The next two verses (vss. 2-3) describe the condition of believers before God gave them “new life” in Christ. Look at Ephesians 2:15 (KJV), “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.” There are three things that keep a person from being “quickened” or “made alive,” are identified as the “world,” the “prince of the power of the air” (the Devil) and the “flesh.” Most have a tendency to state these three as “the world, the flesh, and the Devil.”
  2. We Were Deceived, vs. 2. The first barrier to the new life God wants his creation (men, women, and children) is the “world.” Note the phrase “ye walked.” It is past tense due to the phrase in vs. 1, “hath he quickened” which indicates they were “made alive.” Note how walking according to the course of the world is defined in other scriptures. Galatians 1:4 (KJV), “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” The Bible even tells us what God thinks of the world’s wisdom in 1 Corinthians 3:19 (KJV), “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. . ..” There is nothing in this world’s wisdom that can give a person eternal life. Only God can do that by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:9-10). Satan is the master “deceiver” and has his “fiery darts” (Eph. 6:16) aimed at every believer whom he thinks he can sidetrack and make them think that what he has is better than what God has provided for us. The same verse (Eph. 6:16) tells us that we need the “shield of faith” that will “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Paul also says in Ephesians 4:14 (KJV), “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” Deception is a key to the strategy of Satan and he will even use “religion” to do so. False doctrine is one of the most effective devices Satan uses. That is why you and I need to depend on the perfect word of God found in the King James Bible. If something is being taught that runs contrary to the Bible we use it to identify false doctrine. Most Christians do not engage in false doctrine by examining what the Bible says. 
  3. We Were Degraded, vs. 3a. This verse identifies this point by saying the condition of a lost person is having “our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh.” Now watch the rest of this verse which gives the way lust of the flesh can take you places you do not want to go. It is “. . .fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. . .” (vs. 3). A lost person follows the “desires of the flesh” but notice where they originate, “. . .and of the mind.” The Bible says believers today need to know  they are released from the “old man” (see Eph. 4:22) according to Romans 6:6 (KJV), “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.” When Jesus died on the cross the “old man” our sin nature was put to death. Galatians 2:20 (KJV), “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.” You have a choice to yield to the Holy Spirit or to the flesh since we still have that monster hanging around sending signals that it wants to do something that should not be in a Christian’s life style. Most Christians have not learned to “walk in the Spirit” as stated in Galatians 5:16 (KJV), “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Assurance is strengthened when we walk in the Spirit according to Romans 8:1 (KJV), “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” When a person begins to fulfill the “lusts of the flesh” they think they are not saved. No, we are simply refusing to follow what God has instructed us to do and that is “walk in the Spirit” which keeps us from fulfilling the desires of the flesh. That describes our past, now look at our present.
  1. OUR PRESENT, Ephesians 2:4-6. This section begins with the emphatic “But God.” We need to make note of this phrase. The three verses discussed to this point should remind us of the “terrible situation of the unregenerate.” We should be thankful the phrase “But God” is in the Bible. One writer calls it a “disjunctive conjunction.” That phrase is found 43 times in the Bible. The word, “But,” means “on the contrary, except, or unless.” It is found in the New Testament 25 times. It might suggest, in this situation, that God broke in or interrupted something that needs more explanation. All believers should be thankful that God came to the rescue because that is what is implied. These two verses inform the believer of the great mercy and love provided for us. Romans 5:8 (KJV), “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Here Is another of one of those disjunctive conjunctions. “But God.” 
  1. God’s Mercy Quickened Us, vss. 4-5a. As it said in Romans 5:8, “Christ died for us” is part of God great love. Have you ever thought about the statement in John 3:16 (KJV), “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” You see, if we are to have God’s “mercy,” it evidently would not have been possible if God did not “love the world” which is the very place we live and move and have our being. When it says “God so loved the world. . .” that is an indication that God wanted His world He created to be what was initially provided for a place where man could live, thrive, and “walk with God” (see Gen. 5:22, 24; 6:9). God promised the church in Sardis in Revelation 3:4 (KJV), “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.”  God desired to have fellowship with man and make provisions for him and will happen eventually. Yet, sin entered and that changed everything. God dealt with sin by providing an atoning sacrifice that His “only begotten Son,” Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18) made it possible for us to have fellowship with God. It says in 1 John 4:9 (KJV), “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” This was all brought about by God’s mercy. Look again at these two verses: Ephesians 2:4-5 (KJV), “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;).” That is a clear statement of God’s love.
  2. God’s Grace Saved Us, vss. 5b. This section of vs. 5, makes the statement, “by grace ye are saved.” This brings us to what is stated in Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV), “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.” Your “faith” initiates God's “grace” and brings about eternal life. Grace means “unmerited favor.”
  3. God’s Power Raised and Placed Us, vs. 6. This verse gives a demonstration of the power of God and how salvation is not by “our works” but “God’s grace.” Note how this verse describes the transaction. It says, Ephesians 2:6 (KJV), “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” The phrase in vs. 5, “by grace ye are saved” indicates that this is an ongoing and permanent condition and provided by God “raising” us up “in Christ Jesus.” Our position is “. ..in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6). It says in Ephesians 1:20 (KJV), “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” The phrase “made us sit” has the same meaning that we are seated with Christ. This is our “position” being “in Christ.” Maybe we should consider the idea that if we are “seated with Christ” then our behavior should be pleasing to Him. This is emphasized in Colossians 3:1-2 (KJV), “1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” This brings about the question, where is your affection? These two verses are followed by the statement in Colossians 3:3-6 (KJV), “3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” We are dead to the things of the world and our focus, affections, should be in pleasing Jesus Christ. How are we doing? 

 


Pastor Jerry Rockwel

FROM DEATH TO LIFE

Ephesians 2:1-10

Introduction: This section of Ephesians is one of the significant passages dealing with the salvation process. Paul lays out the process and the problems faced by people confronted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, he begins with an essential phrase in vs. 1, “And you hath he quickened. . .” It is to be noted that Paul is talking to saved people, and “quickened” means “made alive.” Note that it is in italics, which indicates Greek does not support the words. So, one might ask why the translators put these words in the text. The word “quickened” is also used in Ephesians 2:5 where it says “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).” The addition of “And you hath he quickened. . .” in vs. 1, the context makes sense. Paul is writing to the people in Ephesus who trusted Christ and wants them to understand where they have come from and what they now have in Christ. The verses 1-10 are a statement of what God has done in bringing lost people to Christ. Christians must understand they have come from “death” to “life” spiritually. This is possible because of the resurrection of Christ. Charles Hodge, a theologian long ago, said, “The same power which quickened Christ has quickened you.” Paul gives an explanation of the condition people are in as lost people and how God overcame this problem with man. He said in Romans 5:15-18 (KJV), “15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” [Emphasis added.] This is the matter being discussed in Ephesians 2:1-10, which is a clear statement of how God made reconciliation effective for lost mankind. A verse prior to Romans 5:15ff says Romans 5:10 (KJV), “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” The following study is a demonstration of how man is reconciled to God. The word “reconcile” means, “to restore friendly relations between to parties. 

  1. OUR PAST, Ephesians 2:1-3. A critical point in vss. 2-3 is Paul’s explanation of the condition of the lost person. They are under the influence of three enemies of the things of God: the world (vs. 2), the Devil (“the prince of the power of the air,” vs. 2), and the flesh (vs. 3). These three verses describes the condition of believers before they understand the gospel and are transformed by the power of God. 
  1. We Were Dead, vs. 1. This verse does not discuss “physical” death but “spiritual death.” Adam sent humanity spiritually into the condition of being dead; thus “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23; 5:10). This first verse is simply calling attention to the fact that the listener of the words of this text are reminded from whence they came and where they are after being transformed by Jesus Christ. Hoehner points out that being dead “. . .shows the state or condition before God took action.” The two words “trespasses and sins” (vs. 1) state the condition and state of a lost person. The next two verses (vss. 2-3) describe the condition of believers before God gave them “new life” in Christ. Look at Ephesians 2:15 (KJV), “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.” There are three things that keep a person from being “quickened” or “made alive,” are identified as the “world,” the “prince of the power of the air” (the Devil) and the “flesh.” Most have a tendency to state these three as “the world, the flesh, and the Devil.”
  2. We Were Deceived, vs. 2. The first barrier to the new life God wants his creation (men, women, and children) is the “world.” Note the phrase “ye walked.” It is past tense due to the phrase in vs. 1, “hath he quickened” which indicates they were “made alive.” Note how walking according to the course of the world is defined in other scriptures. Galatians 1:4 (KJV), “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” The Bible even tells us what God thinks of the world’s wisdom in 1 Corinthians 3:19 (KJV), “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. . ..” There is nothing in this world’s wisdom that can give a person eternal life. Only God can do that by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:9-10). Satan is the master “deceiver” and has his “fiery darts” (Eph. 6:16) aimed at every believer whom he thinks he can sidetrack and make them think that what he has is better than what God has provided for us. The same verse (Eph. 6:16) tells us that we need the “shield of faith” that will “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Paul also says in Ephesians 4:14 (KJV), “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” Deception is a key to the strategy of Satan and he will even use “religion” to do so. False doctrine is one of the most effective devices Satan uses. That is why you and I need to depend on the perfect word of God found in the King James Bible. If something is being taught that runs contrary to the Bible we use it to identify false doctrine. Most Christians do not engage in false doctrine by examining what the Bible says. 
  3. We Were Degraded, vs. 3a. This verse identifies this point by saying the condition of a lost person is having “our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh.” Now watch the rest of this verse which gives the way lust of the flesh can take you places you do not want to go. It is “. . .fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. . .” (vs. 3). A lost person follows the “desires of the flesh” but notice where they originate, “. . .and of the mind.” The Bible says believers today need to know  they are released from the “old man” (see Eph. 4:22) according to Romans 6:6 (KJV), “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.” When Jesus died on the cross the “old man” our sin nature was put to death. Galatians 2:20 (KJV), “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.” You have a choice to yield to the Holy Spirit or to the flesh since we still have that monster hanging around sending signals that it wants to do something that should not be in a Christian’s life style. Most Christians have not learned to “walk in the Spirit” as stated in Galatians 5:16 (KJV), “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Assurance is strengthened when we walk in the Spirit according to Romans 8:1 (KJV), “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” When a person begins to fulfill the “lusts of the flesh” they think they are not saved. No, we are simply refusing to follow what God has instructed us to do and that is “walk in the Spirit” which keeps us from fulfilling the desires of the flesh. That describes our past, now look at our present.
  1. OUR PRESENT, Ephesians 2:4-6. This section begins with the emphatic “But God.” We need to make note of this phrase. The three verses discussed to this point should remind us of the “terrible situation of the unregenerate.” We should be thankful the phrase “But God” is in the Bible. One writer calls it a “disjunctive conjunction.” That phrase is found 43 times in the Bible. The word, “But,” means “on the contrary, except, or unless.” It is found in the New Testament 25 times. It might suggest, in this situation, that God broke in or interrupted something that needs more explanation. All believers should be thankful that God came to the rescue because that is what is implied. These two verses inform the believer of the great mercy and love provided for us. Romans 5:8 (KJV), “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Here Is another of one of those disjunctive conjunctions. “But God.” 
  1. God’s Mercy Quickened Us, vss. 4-5a. As it said in Romans 5:8, “Christ died for us” is part of God great love. Have you ever thought about the statement in John 3:16 (KJV), “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” You see, if we are to have God’s “mercy,” it evidently would not have been possible if God did not “love the world” which is the very place we live and move and have our being. When it says “God so loved the world. . .” that is an indication that God wanted His world He created to be what was initially provided for a place where man could live, thrive, and “walk with God” (see Gen. 5:22, 24; 6:9). God promised the church in Sardis in Revelation 3:4 (KJV), “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.”  God desired to have fellowship with man and make provisions for him and will happen eventually. Yet, sin entered and that changed everything. God dealt with sin by providing an atoning sacrifice that His “only begotten Son,” Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18) made it possible for us to have fellowship with God. It says in 1 John 4:9 (KJV), “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” This was all brought about by God’s mercy. Look again at these two verses: Ephesians 2:4-5 (KJV), “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;).” That is a clear statement of God’s love.
  2. God’s Grace Saved Us, vss. 5b. This section of vs. 5, makes the statement, “by grace ye are saved.” This brings us to what is stated in Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV), “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.” Your “faith” initiates God's “grace” and brings about eternal life. Grace means “unmerited favor.”
  3. God’s Power Raised and Placed Us, vs. 6. This verse gives a demonstration of the power of God and how salvation is not by “our works” but “God’s grace.” Note how this verse describes the transaction. It says, Ephesians 2:6 (KJV), “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” The phrase in vs. 5, “by grace ye are saved” indicates that this is an ongoing and permanent condition and provided by God “raising” us up “in Christ Jesus.” Our position is “. ..in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6). It says in Ephesians 1:20 (KJV), “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” The phrase “made us sit” has the same meaning that we are seated with Christ. This is our “position” being “in Christ.” Maybe we should consider the idea that if we are “seated with Christ” then our behavior should be pleasing to Him. This is emphasized in Colossians 3:1-2 (KJV), “1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” This brings about the question, where is your affection? These two verses are followed by the statement in Colossians 3:3-6 (KJV), “3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” We are dead to the things of the world and our focus, affections, should be in pleasing Jesus Christ. How are we doing?