Your New Life In Christ Series

The news cameras panned across the beautiful coast of Alaska. In the background birds were flying, whales were swimming and baby seals lying on the rocks. Everywhere the cameras focussed was teaming with wildlife.

The news was there to report a tragedy. The ship in the picture was an oil barge spilling millions of gallons of oil off the coast of Alaska. The news reported that all the wildlife just seen on camera would be dead soon.

Things looked normal, but an ecological disaster would mean complete death and destruction for all the wildlife in the area.

In Ephesians 2:1-10 Paul reminds those Christians in Ephesus of another tragedy. As a result of sin, they too were dead, spiritually dead. They may have waled around and looked alive, but they were dead. Why does Paul bring up this painful reminder that we were miserable sinners?

Paul reminds them of this to emphasize the depth of Grace and mercy of God. We all need to remember what happened in our own life to bring about this new life in Christ. The spiritual transformation of a sinner saved by grace.

When you remember where you were you understand the grace of God. You are motivated to serve God. Paul reminds them of their salvation to encourage them to serve God.

We have before and after contrasts:

Your Old Life

You were once in darkness.

You were separate from Christ.

You were excluded from heavenly citizenship.

You were without hope.

Your New Life in Christ

Now you are the light of the world.

Now you are made near to God.

Now you are fellow heavenly citizens.

Now you have Holy Spirit a deposit of your inheritance.

Before your new life in Christ, you were dead. Paul gives the believers in Ephesus a reminder that before their new life in Christ they were dead in trespasses and sins.

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. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Ephesians 2:1-3)

Before Christ you walked in the way of the world. Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mould. Yet, without Christ you walked according to the ways of the world. Worse yet. Paul says you walked according to the ruler of the kingdom of the air.

This is a reminder for the Christians at Ephesus and a reminder to us. The whole contrast to what you were before Christ and what you are with your new life in Christ applies to all of us with new life in Christ. You were formally walked in the ways of Satan.

It should bring us to an attitude of gratitude. Remember where you were before Christ. We are just one beggar telling another beggar where we found bread. Paul makes clear that before you were a Christian you were spiritually dead.

Once we understand Ephesians 2:1-3 and the contrast of what we were to what we are, then no one could rightly say their testimony in coming to Christ is not dramatic. If you are saved, then you were saved from the depths of sin.

You were spiritually dead.

You followed the ways of the world.

You walked in the ways of Satan.

We have a tendency to measure our lives by the standard of others. We may say, I am not as bad as the person living down the street from me. OK, but so what you are just a better spiritually dead person then. All have sinned and fall short of the holiness of God.

God is holy and pure like the snow on the top of the Himalayan mountains. We are like the mud puddle in the dirt road. So, what if your mud puddle is less muddy than someone living down the street. You both need a savior.

Your new life in Christ comes by God’s grace. Paul explains that new life in Christ was not obtained because of merit, not obtained because we deserve it, it is by God’s grace. It is because God is rich in mercy.

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. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:4-9)