The Mystery Revealed Text: Ephesians 2: 1-13
Paul writes this letter from a prison somewhere in Rome, so many call this the prison Epistle. The theme of this letter is the mystery unveiled, and the mystery is that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the promises of Christ Jesus. Another mystery unveiled is the church becomes Jesus’ living body on earth.
Revelation 21:9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:1NLT Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
The whole makeup; the total sum of any believer is Christ. Without Christ there wouldn’t be any Church body.
Unbelievers are dead in trespasses because of their unbelief, not because of their sinful acts. (The remedy of all sinful practice is Jesus.)
Matthew 12:35NLT A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.
Ephesians 2:2NLT You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
The world order is all about human values and ideologies that are like fortresses.
2 Cor. 4:4NLT Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
Paul shows every believer how to handle these strong towers in 2 Cor. 10:4-5NLT We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
Ephesians 2:3NLT All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
What has it taken to bring freedom unto you?
Ephesians 2:4-5NLT 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!)
Salvation is for God’s glory; it’s nothing we deserve. The very power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the same power that raises us out of our sinful nature.
Romans 6:11-13NKJ Paul tells us, 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Ephesians 2:6NLT For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
The tense ‘raised’ and ‘made’ indicates that this is a direct result from salvation. Paul also points out that every believer reigns with Christ presently by submitting their affections unto Christ.
Col 3:3NKJ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
I Peter 1:4NKJ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
Ephesians 2:7NLT So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
All of heaven glories in the salvation Christ has bestowed.
Revelation 7:10-12NLT And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. 12 They sang, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
Ephesians 2:8-9NLT 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.
Say everything. Everything you obtain to receive salvation comes from Christ. Grace and faith to believe all come from Him!
Romans 3:20NLT For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
Ephesians 2:10NLT 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.
Good works are the result of salvation; God- empowered fruits come directly from salvation.
You are God’s masterpiece! (Don’t downgrade or devalue the price God paid for your deliverance.)
Ephesians 2:11-12NLT 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.12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
Gentiles (the uncircumcision) experienced two types of alienation. First alienation was social, and then spiritual alienation. Both treatments existed for thousands of years. The Gentiles were outcast and objects of reproach. Also they were spiritually alienated.
Ephesians 2:13NLT But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
A common term in rabbinical writings used to describe Gentiles, those who were apart from the one true God. However, through Christ Jesus and His shed blood reconciliation was accomplished.
2 Cor. 5:18-21NLT And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
The atoning work accomplished by Jesus’ death on the cross washes away the penalty of sin and ultimately even its presence.
Prayer.
