Ephesians 2

English Standard Version (ESV)

By Grace Through Faith

2 ^(A)And you were ^(B)dead in the trespasses and sins ^2 (C)in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following ^(D)the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in ^(E)the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in ^(F)the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body^[a] and the mind, and ^(G)were by nature ^(H)children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.^[b] 4 But^[c] God, being ^(I)rich in mercy, ^(J)because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even ^(K)when we were dead in our trespasses, ^(L)made us alive together with Christ—^(M)by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and ^(N)seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable ^(O)riches of his grace in ^(P)kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.⁸ For ^(Q)by grace you have been saved ^(R)through faith. And this is ^(S)not your own doing; ^(T)it is the gift of God, ^9 (U)not a result of works, ^(V)so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For ^(W)we are his workmanship, ^(X)created in Christ Jesus ^(Y)for good works, ^(Z)which God prepared beforehand, ^(AA)that we should walk in them.

One in Christ

¹¹ Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called ^(AB)the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— ¹² remember ^(AC)that you were at that time separated from Christ,^(AD)alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to ^(AE)the covenants of promise, ^(AF)having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were ^(AG)far off have been brought near ^(AH)by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For ^(AI)he himself is our peace, ^(AJ)who has made us both one and has broken down ^(AK)in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ^(AL)ordinances, that he might create in himself one ^(AM)new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶ and might ^(AN)reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and ^(AO)preached peace to you who were ^(AP)far off and peace to those who were ^(AQ)near. ¹⁸ For ^(AR)through him we both have ^(AS)access in ^(AT)one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer ^(AU)strangers and aliens,^[d] but you are ^(AV)fellow citizens with the saints and ^(AW)members of the household of God, ^20 (AX)built on the foundation of the ^(AY)apostles and prophets, ^(AZ)Christ Jesus himself being ^(BA)the cornerstone, ^21 (BB)in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into ^(BC)a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him^(BD)you also are being built together ^(BE)into a dwelling place for God by^[e] the Spirit.

If you were trying to explain how the Christian life works and encourage a people you had never meet, what would you say? Paul answers that question. He shows them the gospel. Jews had a hard time separating works from faith. Christians have a hard separating our good works for deserving salvation. Imagine if you had an opportunity to explain that separation to a people who were new to the faith and it could take hold of their hearts. I have certain pattern of thinking that it wrong. It taints the pure blood of Christ and makes it less desirable. Tim Keller in a sermon called Losing My Religion discusses a short story by Flannery O'Conner. The statement that captured my heart the most was this,"And even their virtues were being burned away." My virtues are few and pitiful compared to Christ. And they will be burned away; however, they are to be replaced by the virtue of Christ. That doesn't mean we shouldn't do good works, yet the motivation and understanding of the heart is so different. 
I find it odd that Paul would remind them in the next paragraph that they were "uncircumcised." Yet the Ephesians had to be reminded of this so that they could be reminded of the power of Christ's blood. By reminding them of their separation, Paul describe a beautiful picture of the union and equality the Ephesians now have in Christ. One holy temple being joined and grown. 


Father, remind me today of Your Son's power. Give me full understanding that even my good parts are like dirty rags. May the motivation of my heart be kindled by the understanding of Jesus's blood and rightousness. Grow me into Your holiness. Join me to the mind and motivation of Your Son. In Jesus name, Amen.