APRIL 27 / MAY 4, 2014
BEFORE AND AFTER CONVERSION
INTRODUCTION:
1. Last week we considered Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian believers, which was essentially a three-fold request.
a) That the Spirit of wisdom and revelation be given them that He might grow them in the knowledge of God. (Ch. 1:17)
b) That the eyes of their understanding be enlightened that they might better understand the hope of their calling. (Ch. 1:18)
c) That they might better appreciate the exceeding greatness of the power of God which brought about their conversion, and secured this blessed hope. (Ch. 1:19, 20) He likens their spiritual resurrection to Christ’s physical resurrection, which were both wrought by the same mighty power of God.
2. Having digressed in order to dwell for a bit on the nature of Christ’s exaltation, and the relation of Christ at the Father’s right hand to the church (Verses 19-23) He now returns to his original point, that being the amazing power and grace of God in the conversion of these Ephesians, by which they were transformed from a state of spiritual death to spiritual life.
3. There are three principle topics related to this transformation presented in our present passage. (Ch. 2:1-10)
a) Their spiritual state before conversion. (Verses 1-3)
b) The change that grace had wrought. (Verses 4-6)
c) The design for which the changed was effected. (Verses 7-10)
I. THE STATE OF THESE EPHESIANS BEFORE CONVERSION. (VERSES 1-3)
A. A STATE OF SPIRITUAL DEATH IN SIN. (VERSE 1)
1. There is an intimate connection between this opening verse of chapter 2 and the preceding paragraph. “And you…” God raised up Christ from the dead, and He has given life to you who were dead in trespasses and sins.
2. Paul describes sinners before conversion as dead. Just as life describes a state of union with God, death describes a state of alienation from Him.
B. A STATE OF SUBJECTION TO SATAN AND TO CORRUPT HUMAN NATURE. (VERSE 2)
1. Sinners are not only in a state of spiritual death, but a further characterization is that they walk in sin.
a) Sinners are very much alive TO sin, while being dead IN sin.
b) They are daily conversant with sin, and devoted to it.
2. The governing principle that controls their conduct is “the course of this world,” (or “age.”) (Verse 2a)
a) “Course” (aiona) comes from a word which means breath or life. Natural men live and breathe in rhythm with this present evil world.
b) Christians have a new life principle, while sinners are slaves to the age (aion) in which they live. They are slaves to its spirit, customs, fashions, etc.
c) Folks are willing to do whatever it takes in order to be in step with the world.
3. This subjection to sin is, at the same time, subjection to Satan. The Apostle adds, “According to the prince of the power of the air.” (Verse 2; compare II Cor. 4:4; John 12:31; Matt. 9:34)
a) A kingdom is ascribed to this evil prince, called “the kingdom of darkness.”
b) All evil spirits and wicked men are his subjects. They are his captives held by a yoke of bondage.
c) “The air,” or “darkness” as many prefer, is the abode of evil spirits, it is Satan’s domain, his kingdom of darkness. (Col. 1:13)
4. Before their conversion these Ephesians were under the influence of that malignant spirit who was presently working in the children of disobedience. (Verse 2c)
a) This spirit is the wicked one himself.
b) Children of disobedience does not mean merely disobedient children, but rather sons of disobedience.
(1) Just as there are sons of Belial, whose nature is devilish, with these children, as with their father, disobedience is their very nature.
(2) These have a depraved will. They are “unwilling to be persuaded,” so the word literally means.
c) The unregenerate man has a nature that is rebellious, and wills not to obey God. This he has from birth.
C. A STATE OF CONDEMNATION. (VERSE 3)
1. This state or condition we all shared. Whether Jew or Gentile, all lived and had their being in a state of condemnation. “Among whom we all had our conversation.”
2. This congeniality consisted in living in the lusts of the flesh (the depraved nature) and fulfilling the desire of the flesh, (the inferior faculties) and of the mind (the superior and rational powers). Thus, the whole man is depraved, even in his best faculties.
3. These Ephesians, before regeneration and conversion, “were by nature children of wrath.”
a) Not by acquisition, or by persuasion, or by example, but by nature. (Compare Gal. 2:15; 4:8)
b) As “children of wrath,” they were objects of wrath; marked out for wrath.
(1) The meaning is the same as in the case of Abner. (I Sam. 26:16) David said, “Ye are worthy to die.” Or, as in the margin, “Ye are a son of death.”
(2) Another example is the case of a wicked man “worthy to be beaten.” (Deut. 25:2) The meaning is literally “a son of stripes.”
c) Thus, we were all in our natural state children (sons) of wrath, and therefore, worthy of death.
4. The truth here confirmed is that ours is a fallen race. Prohibition ended with Adam’s sin. We are born in a state of condemnation, and need redemption from the moment of our birth.
II. THE CHANGE THAT GRACE HAD WROUGHT IN THEM. (VERSES 4-6) Here contrasted with their former state of death is that of life by spiritual resurrection.
A. THE CHANGE WHICH SAVING GRACE PRODUCES IS THROUGH REGENERATION; THAT SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION OF WHICH GOD IS THE AUTHOR. (VERSES 1, 4, 5)
B. THIS CHANGE IS WROUGHT THROUGH A DIVINE WORK OF LOVE AND MERCY. (VERSE 4)
1. God is rich in mercy, and He is rich in His desire to show mercy. “Thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy.” (Psa. 86:5)
2. God pities all miserable souls, but it is for (on account of) His great love wherewith He loved us, that He “hath quickened us together with Christ.”
3. God’s love for these objects of mercy is more than pity of which all miserable souls may be objects. This love has definite individual persons for its objects. (Jer. 31:3)
C. THIS QUICKENING BY SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION IS THROUGH CHRIST, AND BY VIRTUE OF OUR UNION WITH HIM. (VERSE 5)
1. Quickening is the communication of life of which Christ is the Author.
2. It comprehends everything that salvation includes. As our spiritual death included condemnation, pollution and misery, so our spiritual life comprehends forgiveness, regeneration, and all blessedness.
3. Being quickened together with Christ speaks of that covenant and vital union with Christ, in which His death was our death, and His life is our life, and His exaltation is our exaltation. (Rom. 6:6-8; II Cor. 2:19, 20; 5:14, 15)
D. BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN SPIRITUALLY RAISED UP SO AS TO BE MADE PARTAKERS OF CHRIST’S LIFE AND EXALTATION, EVEN HERE AND NOW. (VERSE 6)
1. They are seated in heavenly places together with Christ. This describes the state into which they are brought by regeneration. (See also Phil. 3:20)
2. We, if Christians, belong not to the earth, but heaven. We are within the realm of God’s kingdom; we are under its laws, and we have in Christ a title to its privileges and blessings. Indeed, we are now sons of god, we have the Spirit of adoption, by which we enjoy all the privileges of sons in this life and also that which is to come.
III. THE DESIGN FOR WHICH GOD HAD EFFECTED THIS CHANGE IN THEM. (VERSES 8-10)
A. THE GREAT DESIGN IN REDEMPTION IS THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S GRACE THROUGH ALL COMING AGES. (VERSE 7)
1. The great scheme of redemption, which God purposed from eternity, accomplished in the fullness of the time, and applied effectually to sinners by the Gospel, shall show forth the exceeding riches of His grace for ever and ever.
2. Contemplation of this infinitely wise plan, and the infinite cost of it, coupled with that amazing blessedness thereby bestowed upon otherwise helpless, hopeless sinners, will provide abundant cause for praise among all holy beings throughout all ages, world without end.
B. THE GREAT DESIGN OF REDEMPTION, AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, IS CONFIRMED. (VRS. 8, 9)
1. This is plain, for salvation is entirely of grace.
2. We have the assertion of the gratuitous nature of salvation confirmed both affirmatively and negatively.
a) “For by grace are ye saved through faith.”
b) Even the faith to believe is not of ourselves, but is a gift of grace.
c) Thus, salvation is not of works in any part, either in its provision or its acquisition.
3. No redeemed soul shall be able to boast of any part of his salvation. (I Cor. 1:31)
C. THE PRACTICAL DESIGN OF REDEMPTION IS THAT GOD SHOULD CREATE MEN ANEW IN CHRIST UNTO HOLY OBEDIENCE AND SERVICE. (VERSE 10)
1. That salvation is entirely the work of God, and that good works cannot be the ground of our acceptance with Him is here proven.
a) We are His workmanship. He, and not ourselves, has made us what we are.
b) We are created unto good works. Just as the fact that men are elected unto holiness proves that holiness is not the ground of their election, so their being created unto good works shows that their good works cannot be the ground on which they are made subjects of this new creation.
2. That true saving faith is manifested in good works is also here proven.
a) Salvation is not of works, but it is not without works either.
b) Many who are very adamant that salvation is all of grace and not of works; and who cite Verses 8, 9 as their proof texts, seem to ignore Verse 10, which states the practical purpose for which God saves sinners.
c) We must not get the cart before the horse, but we must not imagine a horse without a cart either, for “faith without works is dead being alone.”
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