Monday, November 4, 2013

Ephesian 2 (Sovereignty of God, Total Depravity & Predestination)

Ephesian 2 (Sovereignty of God, Total Depravity & Predestination)

.We were dead in sin and were slaves to our sinful nature (Total Depravity)

.But God is so rich in mercy,that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (Sovereignty of God)

.It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved! (Sovereignty of God)

.God could have left us spiritually dead, in rebellion against him and in bondage to our sins. (Sovereignty of God)

.We become Christians through God’s unmerited favor, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. (Sovereignty of God)

.Our salvation is something only God can do. It is his powerful, creative work in us. (Sovereignty of God)

Ephesians 2:4-5 (God's Sovereignty & Total Depravity)
New Living Translation (NLT)
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

Life Application Commentary
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We were dead in our sins, but God…. We were rebels against him, but God… We were enslaved by the devil and our sinful nature, but God….” These may be the 2 most welcome words in all of Scripture. “BUT GOD”. God could have left us spiritually dead, in rebellion against him and in bondage to our sins. BUT HE DIDN”T. He did not save us because of, but rather in spite of, what he saw in us. In addition to thanking him for what he has done for us, we should also show humble patience and tolerance for others who seem unworthy or undeserving of our love and compassion. They may be spiritually dull, rebellious, and even antagonistic towards God. So were we, but God loved us anyway. Can we do less for fellow sinners?

In the previous verses Paul wrote about our old sinful nature (2:1-3). Here Paul emphasizes that we do not need to live any longer under sin’s power. The penalty of sin and its power over us were miraculously destroyed by Christ on the cross. Through faith in Christ we stand acquitted, or not guilty, before God (Romans 3:21, 22). God does not take us out of the world or make us robots—we will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we became Christians, we were dead in sin and were slaves to our sinful nature. But now we are alive with Christ (see also Galatians 2:20)

Ephesians 2:8-10 (Predestination)
New Living Translation (NLT)
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Life Application Commentary
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When someone gives you a gift, do you say, “That’s very nice—now how much do I owe you?” No, the appropriate response to a gift is “Thank you.” Yet how often Christians, even after they have been given the gift of salvation, feel obligated to try to work their way to God. Because our salvation and even our faith are gifts, we should respond with gratitude, praise, and joy.

We become Christians through God’s unmerited favor, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, and not merely to please ourselves. While no action or work we do can help us obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are not saved merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build up the church (4:12).

We are God’s masterpiece (work of art, workmanship). Our salvation is something only God can do. It is his powerful, creative work in us. If God considers us his masterpieces, we dare not treat ourselves or others with disrespect or as inferior work.

The heart is deem more important to God.

~Ephesians 2:11
New Living Translation (NLT)
Oneness and Peace in Christ
11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.

Christ has fulfiled the law that demand justice from us. He has paid it in full.

~Ephesians 2:14-15
New Living Translation (NLT)
14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.

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