Ephesians 2:1-8
“From Death to Life”
Pastor Clint Covington- Blackjack Baptist Church
1/19/14
This is the essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ- that God has taken us from death to life.
WHAT DOES PAUL MEAN BY BEING DEAD? V1 (Sometimes used as corpse).
How can Paul say that we are dead when were physically alive? Paul is speaking to our spiritual state- separated from God, losing fellowship with God.
1 Corinthians- a natural man cannot understand the things of God because natural men are dead.
Some have described man’s condition as being sick- Paul says otherwise. Paul says we were dead. If we were sick, we could be made better. If we are dead, then we must be revived. You cannot pour medicine down the throat of a corpse. Dead= unresponsive to anything by their own power.
Spiritually dead people live in sin. V2-V3 Paul breaks down what living in sin entails. Apart from Christ the world tells us how to live and what to believe. The spirit working in the sons of disobedience- V2- living under Satan’s rule and dominion of darkness. If I’m not serving God who am I serving? It is either or, there is no middle ground.
My drive is “if it feels good, do it. If I enjoy it, that means I must get more of it.” Unbelievers dwell in the realm of sin- will, choices, emotions, desires- confined to the boundaries of sin without knowing it.
1. The natural condition of all people: Spiritually dead and in sin. Saved people were once part of this natural condition. V3 By nature children of wrath even as the rest.
Fish are born naturally conditioned to live in the water and cannot get out… People are born naturally conditioned to live in sin and cannot get out.
We are totally depraved. We were not created this way but when Adam fell into sin.. mankind fell with him. Not only are we in darkness and sin, but we have the wrath of God abiding on us…. BUT GOD,
2. But God: The same power that raised Jesus from the dead has given life to His children, THE SAME POWER! PRAISE GOD! V5+6.
We weren’t drowning, we were dead in the water…But God! John 5:25 Truly, Truly … the dead will hear the voice of the son of God and will live.
3. Our position now is resurrected with Christ and seated with Him on His throne. V6. Just as sure as we are seated in this pew… we are seated with Christ. But why? V7- So that He may display His grace in the ages to come. When God raises people from the dead and saves them He gets the Glory and Him alone. Don’t put yourself in a position to try and steal God’s Glory. Jesus says “come, repent and believe upon the name of Jesus Christ.” The Bible commands all men to repent and believe and for all who repent and believe there is life. Praise God that He has brought us from death to life.
Blackjack Baptist Church 