“even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved)”

“Even when we were dead”: Such love was demonstrated while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8). “It is astounding that God would love mankind while every individual human being has rebelled against Him” (Caldwell p. 76). “Through our”: Once again, the sins that condemned us were our own. “Made us alive together”: Notice the statement "alive together with Christ". This is the language associated with baptism (Romans 6:3; Romans 11:1; Colossians 2:12). Spiritual life is impossible for sinners outside of Christ. Believing in Christ includes being baptized. Compare this statement with John 5:24. “By grace have ye been saved: This will be further mentioned in Ephesians 2:8. Being saved by grace inherently involves faith and baptism. Many people like the term “grace” but they do not like the verses that mention people perishing or God's wrath. What they forget is that grace is only meaningful if we are being saved from something horrible. Every time we see the word “saved” in the Bible we need to realize that God has saved us from something!

Continues after advertising
Continues after advertising

Old Testament