The fullness of the hope we can find in Ephesians chapters 1 and 2 cannot be overemphasized. As we continue to discover these amazing benefits of our salvation, we now move into chapter 2.
At the beginning of this chapter, the Apostle Paul changes his tone just a bit. He moves from the celebratory description of the goodness of God offered through salvation to a more sobering account of our condition before accepting this gift. This is a writing style meant to help us see his point more clearly. He reveals the horrendous depth of our hopelessness so that we will more fully understand the power of God’s solution.
Ephesians 2:1-2 lay out our problem with tragic clarity. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” There is an interesting paradox here. We are told that we are the living dead. No, we are not zombies. This is a reference to our spiritual condition. Although we are physically alive, we live with the sentence of eternal death hanging over us. This is a frightening place to be. Eternal death means we are separated from God. Hell is a literal place of being alone and in torment forever. This is our position at birth because of the sin of Adam being on our account. As we live this life, we affirm this sinfulness by our own selfishness and pride.
In verses 4 and 5, things turn around and we get the good news. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved.” This affirms two important points. Left to ourselves, this is a hopeless situation. BUT GOD!! God initiated the solution to our problem out of his deep love for us. We can activate the solution by appropriating God’s grace as an act of faith. When we confess and repent by faith, the sentence of death is removed.
This is not simply a promise for our eternity, but a reason for hope and peace in this life. To be alive with Christ represents an astounding miracle has taken place. We do not simply accept the fact of the death and resurrection of Jesus as the basis of our salvation, we actually share in the same source of God’s power and authority. Ephesians 1:18-20, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,”
This reminds us of the importance and significance of baptism. It is affirming our understanding of all God has done for us through Jesus. As we go under the water, we acknowledge that we must be willing to die to the sin that has separated us from God. It is identifying with the death of Jesus. As we come out of the water, we accept the glorious truth that the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead is the basis for our hope of eternity in heaven. This cannot be shaken. Take a few moments as you read this to worship our Lord for the work he has done to make you alive in Christ. Use this truth as a springboard of a renewed commitment to serve the cause of Christ as an outgrowth of your adoration and appreciation of him.