Alive From The Dead Series

“Raised from the Dead”

Eph 2:1-10

I. Our Wealth and Worth In Christ 1-4

A. Paul blessed God for blessing us with every spiritual blessing 1:3-14

1. Specially Chosen 1:4

2. Purposefully Adopted 1:5-6

3. Freely Redeemed and Forgiven 1:7-8a

4. Spiritually Enlightened 1:8b-10

5. Surely Deemed God’s Inheritance 1:11-12

6. Securely Sealed 1:13-14

B. Paul prayed for their enlightenment 1:15-23

Paul asked God to give these believers a life disposition of wisdom and revelation regarding the knowledge of God. This permeation of the knowledge of God is preceded by a Spirit-enacted enlightening which results in a foundational knowledge.

• Know the hope of His calling

• Know the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints

• Know the surpassing greatness of His power and might toward us

Paul defines this power as the same power God exercised in raising Jesus from the dead and seating Him at His right hand with authority over all creation and people and governments and as well as the church. Paul referred to the church as His body (many members function in unity with diversity) and Christ is the head (the controlling factor).

The church is the subject of the entire letter.

The identity, authority and responsibility of the church.

And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:22-23

The church (born again followers of Jesus) is the manifestation of Christ on earth. The church represents the power and gifting and authority of Christ on earth. His power fills every aspect of the church. The power and life of Christ is represented in Christ. We are the full expression of His presence on earth at this time. The one who fills the entire universe chose to manifest His fullness through the church. The infusion of that power is then seen in the next chapter.

Brought from death to life

Brought from alienation to reconciliation

Then in chapter three, Paul explained why he dedicated his life to ministry to the church.

Paul’s desire that they come to realize the supernatural power that brings us to new life inspired him to actually address the blessing.

C. Paul details our resurrected life in Christ

At the outset is it significant to point out the all inclusiveness of Paul’s remarks. He seamlessly shifts between the plural “you” (ya’all) and “we” all through the chapter. This chapter features two before and after pictures. Dead but now alive. Alienated but now family.

1. Our woeful condition – Dead and doomed

The “and” maintains the continuity from the previous discussion. He described the church as Christ’s fullness but it was not always that way. How did we get there? Verse 1-7 are one sentence in the original. This is another one of Paul’s super sentences. You really don’t find the main subject and verb until verse where God is the subject who did three things. Everything is subordinate to that phrase. Before we can appreciate God’s action we must understand our predicament.

a. The condition

Not only did the church not even exist previously but we were dead.

And you being dead by reason of your trespasses and sins

We were in a continual state of deadness. He is obviously not referring to physical death as there would be no point reasoning with a corpse. This is a perpetual state of deadness.

The concept of death indicates one who is separated, unresponsive, unaware, unable. In relation to God and spiritual matters, our sins rendered us unaware and unable to function.

We were all devoid of any spiritual life or relationship with God. We are not just sick or mistaken or uninformed – we are DEAD!

b. The cause of death (COD) – sins and trespasses

We were dead because of Adam’s sin.

"Therefore just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned."

Here Paul focuses on death by reason of our own personal sins and trespasses.

"Trespass" = to fall by the wayside, lapse, error, mistake, wrongdoing

"Sins" = miss the mark

There are two views of disobedience to God. The practice of things that violate God’s way of doing things. The failure to practice God’s way of doing things. This was a way of life. They walked in this way of life contrary to God’s character and commands. Where did such a way of life come from?

in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 2:2

This way of life was dictated and empowered by Satan himself. It is he who continually “energizes” the people who live in rebellion and disobedience to God. It is Satan who tempts to live life apart from relationship with God. Sin goes beyond specific actions. The core of sin deals with a failure to live in relationship with God.