Did you see how desperate the situation looks in verse 1 to 3? We almost want to argue with Paul at this point that the Ephesians couldn't have been that bad?! But before we can come up for them he says to us: "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts." It's then that we realise that Paul has been speaking to us all along, "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions..."
At this point we need to be careful not to dismiss what Paul is saying as ridiculous hyperbole. He means what he says literally. Without God we are dead - perhaps not physically or mentally, or in terms of personality - but in the sphere which matters most: spiritually. Without God our souls were dead - having no impulse or desire to serve and love the living God.
"Paul is not giving us a portrait of some particularly decadent tribe or degraded segment of society, or even of the extremely corrupt paganism of his own day. No, this is the biblical diagnosis of fallen humanity in fallen society everywhere." John Stott.
But in verse 4 to 10 everything changes... everything! If you wanted to remember one sentence in the Bible, remember this one. It is the absolute essence of the Gospel - "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved." Eph 2:4,5 (Go on - memorise this one...)
I remember listening to a talk by Richard Coekin on this passage. In illustrating how dead we are to choose God without Him raising us he asked us to think of a disturbing scene - a corpse floating down a river, heading for a 100m drop. "What can this dead body do to save itself from falling down the waterfall?" he asked. "Can it grab hold of a rope thrown out to it? Can it hang on to a branch lifted over the water? The only way that dead body can be saved is if someone goes into the water, pulls it out and blows new life into it." If you are alive today to the reality of who God is, remember that that could only have happened by Someone saving you! Someone had to rescue you - you were spiritually dead, having no impulse or desire to live under God's loving authority.
We were not saved by our own effort - why do you try to grow by your own effort? To the extent that you dwell on and immerse yourself in the saving grace of God in the Gospel you will begin to grow. This is what prepares you for the good works God has prepared for you in advance. (Eph 2:10).
Prayer
Our God and Father, from this text we learn again that you love us greatly. Thank you for you love - especially since your love is not just words... You've proven your great love for us by saving us at the immense cost of your Son. We thank you and praise you for this and ask that knowing that you love us will change us and cause us to rest in you and do good works for you. Amen
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