‘And you (‘He has raised from the dead', or ‘He has made alive'), when you were dead through your trespasses and sins.' The ‘and you' may refer back to ‘raised Him from the dead and made Him to sit at His right hand' in Ephesians 1:20, or refer forward to the ‘make alive' in Ephesians 2:5 (the words... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Wherein previously you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience.' They had been guilty at three levels. They were guilty of personal sin (‘your trespasses and sins'), they were not dupes... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Among whom we also once lived in the lusts of the flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.' ‘We.' Lest anyone think he is excluding himself from being a sinner Paul now includes himself and his companions, along with all Christi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, (by grace you are those who are saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.' ‘But God.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.' And the final purpose of God in all this is that He might continually reveal His goodness and kindness towards us in every possible way through all ages. He will show to us ‘the exceed... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For by grace you are those who are saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.' This links back to ‘in Christ Jesus'. We are in this position outlined above as ‘those who are saved' because we have put our trust in Christ, and ev... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God beforehand prepared that we should walk in them.' ‘We are His workmanship.' The word poiema means ‘creation, what is wrought'. In the New Testament it is only used of God's activity. Thus we are His creation, His workma... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Wherefore remember, that previously you were the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE TO REMEMBER THAT THEY WERE ONCE EXCLUDED FROM ISRAEL AND THE PROMISES BUT ARE NOW MADE ONE WITH THE TRUE ISRAEL; THEY ARE NOW THE PEOPLE OF GOD (2:11-3:12) Paul here goes on to point out that the ordinances of the Law of Sinai (the whole sacrificial system and all that pertained to it), whi... [ Continue Reading ]
THE UNITING OF JEW AND GENTILE THROUGH THE CROSS. THE ESTABLISHING OF THE NEW ISRAEL. ‘But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near by the blood of Christ.' Now all is changed. In the Christ Who died for them all these benefits are theirs. They have been brought near to God, the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For he himself is our peace, who has made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he may create in himself one new man, so making peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to G... [ Continue Reading ]