Bible Passage

AMAZING GRACE!
Ephesians 2:110
Opening Thought
1) Perhaps the most discussed and debated religious question on earth is:
How does a person make it to heaven?
or
How can someone know that he or she is right with God?
If you interviewed people on the street (using these questions), what varied
responses do you think you would get?

Background of the Passage

On the question of eternal salvation, people generally take one of only two
broad viewpoints. One very common cultural view says that we are
individually responsible for our own destiny; that how well we live
determines where we will spend eternity; that salvation is largely, if not
entirely, dependent upon human effort. This view is popular because it
appeals to human pride. It makes us feel in control. It gives us the sense
that we can earn our own way. Besides, the notion of having to ask for
help is irritating to successful people who fancy themselves as independent
and who imagine that they are basically decent. The other position says
that salvation is a no-strings attached gift from God. We cannot possibly
earn it, because we are sinful to the core. We are not basically nice people
who need only to clean up our acts a bit, we are rebels who need to lay
down our arms. Because of our sin, we are spiritually dead. Thus, its only
when we respond to Gods gracious overtures, admit our sinfulness and
helplessness, and humbly receive Christs offer of forgiveness and eternal
life, that we find life. Obviously, this latter view is unpopular. It is an
affront to self-made men and women who want to live without
acknowledging or relying upon the Creator. Yet, as we will see in this
lesson, this view is taught in scripture.

Read Ephesians 2:110

God Has Brought Us from Death to Life
1

You used to be dead because of your offenses and sins, 2 that you
once practiced as you lived according to the ways of this present world and
according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now active in
those who are disobedient. 3 Indeed, all of us once behaved like them in the
lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of our flesh and senses. By nature
we were destined for wrath, just like everyone else. 4 But God, who is rich
in mercy, because of his great love for us 5 even when we were dead
because of our offenses, made us alive together with the Messiah (by grace
you have been saved), 6 raised us up with him, and seated us with him in
the heavenly realm in the Messiah Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he
might display the limitless riches of his grace that comes to us through his
kindness in the Messiah Jesus. 8 For by such grace you have been saved
through faith. This does not come from you; it is the gift of God 9 and not
the result of actions, to put a stop to all boasting. 10 For we are Gods
masterpiece, created in the Messiah Jesus to perform good actions that
God prepared long ago to be our way of life.

Understanding the Text

2) How does Paul graphically describe those who are dead in sin? How
does this compare to your personal experience in life? (vv. 1-3)
answer: starting with v. 1, all believers at one time lived in rebellion
against God, and all unbelievers also live in this way. Paul describes the
human plight as something that affects the entire person. By birth, humans
possess flesh and thoughts that lead to sinful desires and sinful actions.
Paul argues that rebellion against God is a state integral to the human
condition apart from the gospel: it affects everyone without exception, and
it affects everyone profoundly. The adjective dead was used
metaphorically in Greek literature and philosophy to refer to those who
were morally or spiritually deficient. Jesus used the term to refer to those
who did not follow him [Luke 9:60], and the conversion of a person to him
as a change from death to life [John 5:24]. The whole being [1
Thessalonians 5:23] is dead to the most important factor in life: God.

Chrysostom [4th century Bishop of Constantinople] summarises this

perfectly: There is a distinction between the death of the body and the
death of the soul. There is no disgrace in the death of the body as such and
hence no moral danger since there is no disgrace. The bodys death is
merely a matter of nature, not of choice. This death had its origin in the
transgression of the first human being, and thereafter it has had its
subsequent effect on nature. Its release will be swift. But the death of the
soul is the result of free choice. Hence it entails disgrace, from which there
is no easy release. It is a much weightier task to heal a deadened soul than
to raise a dead body, as Paul has already shown. Yet this is what has now
happened, incredible as it may be.
Next in v. 2, Pauls readers once practiced their transgressions,
according to the ways of this present world. The underlying Greek word
for ways is ain, highlighting [what is missed in English translation] that
their plight [before becoming a Christian] was even deeper than anything
their own sin could have produced! The word ain can have a spatial
meaning [world] as well as a temporal meaning [age]. However, in the
context of Ephesus, ain was the name of a god. Epiphanius [4th century
Bishop of Salamis] described a mythological feast
of Persephone [daughter of Zeus] that took place
in Alexandria, in celebration of her giving birth to
Aion. This god is also attributed to the sun god
Helios, who represents the course of time. Aion as
a philosophical concept is frequently found in the
Chaldean oracles, where it represents the 2nd god,
a middle figure between the highest deity and the
creation [compare with John 1:18]. Since Aion is
the name of a Hellenistic deity and Paul speaks of
the god of this world [2 Corinthians 4:4] as
relating to Satan himself, his readers would
immediately be familiar with their personified
world-age, a personal antagonist of Gods good
creation and of God himself. Thus this
personification is used as one of the titles of
Satan, who is described at greater length by the
following words: the ruler of the power of the
air, and the spirit that is now active.

Chrysostom continues: Do you see Pauls gentleness, how he everywhere

comforts his hearer and avoids burdening him? For having said that they
had arrived at the extreme consequence of evil (for what else does being
dead mean?), he provides them with a collaborator, so that they
themselves will not be held accountable alone for their plight but share
responsibility with a powerful accomplice, the devil.
Prior to their conversion, Pauls readers were at the mercy of Aion, and
therefore lived their lives according to its standards. The domain of Aion,
which Paul speaks here, is the air.

In ancient cosmology, the air was the region below the moon and above
the earth, thus the belief that it was also the habitation of spiritual powers.
Plutarch [1st century Greek historian], described the open air as full of
gods and demons. Diogenes [3rd century biographer] also said, all the air
is full of souls, and these are also called demons and divinized departed
human beings. For Paul, the air was the heavenly realm where Jesus
is seated [recall Ephesians 1:20]. Thus Christs place at the Fathers
right hand in the heavenly realm is far above every ruler, authority,
power, dominion, and every name that can be named, because they are
under the Messiahs feet [vv. 21-22 and compare with Colossians 2:15].

Marius Victorinus [3rd century grammarian] summarises: Light and dark

are two things, as are truth and falsehood, goodness and wickedness. But
they are not to be imagined as equal, for it is not pious to compare
anything to God, even by contraries. So we are to understand that there
are two spirits, one of faith and one of disobedience. Satan and his devils
have their substance from air, that is, from material reality. They derive
their power in that same way, over those who think materially. The prince
of that power which is in the air works through matter. He is therefore that
spirit now at work through material means among the children of
disobedience. He possesses their minds and has dominion over them.
Next in v. 3, Paul now emphasizes that this plight affected every human
being, including himself. But, it is not as if his readers lived especially evil
lives before they believed the gospel. The point is this: every human being
in various contexts and experiences, are those who are disobedient [v.
2]. It is a plight that all believers were destined for wrath, just like
everyone else. The human plight covered the entire person: mind and
body. Before they believed the gospel, Paul and his readers lived in the
lusts of our flesh, performing the desires of our flesh and senses.
Central to Jewish thinking at the time of Paul was the notion that every
person struggled with an inner propensity toward evil. They called this the
yr hr, which means the evil impulse. It is derived from Genesis 6:5
where the inclination [yr] of the human heart is evil on a continuous
basis [hr]. In contrast to our salvation in Christ, this is why Paul
reminds us elsewhere, You are demonstrating that you are the Messiah's
letter, produced by our service, written not with ink but with the Spirit of
the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. [2
Corinthians 3:3, compare with Ezekiel 36:2627]. A schematic illustration
can help us visualise and grasp how this operates. Every step we take
toward God or away from God has three components: human choice,
Gods will, and Satans will. Two of these components are predictable, at
least in direction and in opposition to one another: God draws us to
himself, and Satan draws us away from him. One component remains
unpredictable from a human perspective: our choices to move toward God
or away from him. From our perspective, our life is our own to do with as
we choose, but somewhere along the way we become aware that to go our
own way is tantamount to going Satans way of self-exaltation.

Giving ourselves over to that destiny amounts to refusing Gods offer of

everlasting life with him. By the time our earthly life is over, every one of
us will either become Gods inheritance [recall Ephesians 1:18], or a
committed follower to a false god ultimately doomed to perish.

Each step we take toward God, each decision to accept and act upon his
light [John 3:19-21], realising that we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of our offenses, according to the riches of Gods grace that
he lavished on us [recall Ephesians 1:7], strengthens Gods influence in
our lives, and we become more like Christ. The opposite is equally true,
where you can become more like Satan.

Tertullian [2nd century Carthaginian apologist] summarises: As a Jew

Paul had been one of the children of unbelief in whom the devil was at
work, especially when he persecuted the church and the Christ of the
Creator. On this account he says, We were by nature children of wrath.
But he says by nature so that a heretic could not argue that it was the
Lord who created evil. We create the grounds for the Creators wrath
ourselves. The heresy would be to say that the Lord willed wrath apart
from human choice or human nature.

Not only do we experience forgiveness of sins and have life after death,
but we presently share in Christs authority. This is a particularly relevant
and important message for Pauls readers who are deeply concerned about
how to respond to the unseen world of evil forces. Origen [2nd century
theologian] summarises: What Paul is saying then is: If you believe that
Christ is risen from the dead, believe also that you too have risen with him.
If you believe that he sits at the Fathers right hand in heaven, believe that
your place too is amid not earthly but heavenly things.

3) What words does Paul use to describe Gods actions toward the lost?
(vv. 4-7)

Next in v. 7, we have from Paul himself: the meaning of life. The reason
that the universe exists, is so that now: God can join believers to Christs
death, resurrection, and exaltation, and for all eternity we will be shown in
Christ and by his kindness, the limitless riches of his grace. Paul has
already spoken of how the costly redemption of believers through the
death of Christ demonstrated the abundance of Gods grace [recall
Ephesians 1:7]. He has also said that God considers his people to be his
abundantly glorious inheritance [recall Ephesians 1:18] and that Gods
purpose for his people is to provide them with an inheritance [recall
Ephesians 1:11, 14]. Hence Paul draws these theological threads together
beautifully. Chrysostom continues: Do not be disbelieving. You have
received a proof from former events, from the Creator of the universe, and
from his desire to manifest his goodness. For how otherwise could there be
a revelation to us if this does not happen? This will be demonstrated in the
ages to come. What now seems nonsense to unbelievers then will appear
as fully sensible to everyone. We will sit with him. Nothing is more
trustworthy and worthy of praise than this revelation.

answer: starting with v. 4, Paul begins to describe Gods response to the

seemingly hopeless plight into which sin, the flesh, the mind, and the
demonic world have plunged humanity. Paul begins by announcing the
primary theme of the section: God did this because of his overwhelmingly
merciful and loving character. Paul is echoing themes familiar from the
Old Testament, frequently describing God as compassionate and
gracious, slow to anger, and filled with gracious love and truth. [Exodus
34:6]. The particular Hebrew phrase is rab-esed. The concept also shows
up in Christs parable of the unjust slave, where the king, who represents
God, speaks of how he had mercy on a slave who owed him the
unimaginable sum of 10,000 talents [Matthew 18:21-35, where one
talent was worth a lifetime of wages for an average labourer].
Ambrosiaster [4th century] beautifully articulates this and writes: These
are the true riches of Gods mercy, that even when we did not seek it,
mercy was made known through his own initiative. This is Gods love to
us, that having made us he did not want us to perish. His reason for
making us was that he might love what he had made, seeing that no one
hates his own workmanship.
Next in vv. 5-6, Paul describes Gods gracious response to the human
plight and, in doing so, finally provides the main verbs that reflect vv. 1-3:
made us alive together with the Messiah, raised us up with him, and
seated us with him in the heavenly realm in the Messiah Jesus. Notice
that all three verbs are in the past tense: the Christians life, resurrection,
and royal position with Christ are events that have already happened.

But to whom does God prove his grace? Notice the words the coming
ages. The Greek words can also be translated as, the attacking aeons.
As we saw in v. 2, ain is a word with a number of meanings, one of
which was used of a god that Paul links with Satan himself. Here the plural
is used. Such an understanding follows on well from v. 6: the aeons
inhabit the heavenly realm in which the believers sit. It is natural to regard
the aeons here as hostile since if they were friendly they would not require
Gods grace to be proven to them [compare with 1 Peter 3:18-20]. The
divine mystery of Gods salvation [recall Ephesians 1:9 and the
deliberately cryptic secret plan of God] is made known through the
church to the fallen supernatural powers.

4) What are the ramifications of Gods grace toward the lost? (vv. 8-10)
answer: starting with v. 8, Paul adds that on the human side, salvation
comes through the response of faith. God offers salvation to his
human creatures abundantly and freely, but as Paul implies in Romans
5:17, they must receive it. They must trust God that his free provision
for them in Christ will actually accomplish their salvation. For Pauls
readers, this means trusting the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation [recall Ephesians 1:13]. In Pauls thinking, faith is not
something that people offer to God and with which Gods grace then
cooperates to save them. Rather, faith is aligned with grace, and both faith
and grace stand over against anything that human beings can offer God: it
is neither a work deserving payment nor a ground for boasting. To say that
salvation comes through faith, therefore, is to further enhance the notion
that it arises from the grace of God. Fulgentius [5th century Bishop of
Ruspe] clarifies this nicely: The blessed Paul argues that we are saved by
faith, which he declares to be not from us but a gift from God. Thus there
cannot possibly be true salvation where there is no true faith, and, since
this faith is divinely enabled, it is without doubt bestowed by his free
generosity. Where there is true belief through true faith, true salvation
certainly accompanies it. Anyone who departs from true faith will not
possess the grace of true salvation.
Next in v. 10, the salvation we have is entirely Gods gift because we are
Gods masterpiece. The Greek term is poima and can also mean
poem, but communicates the following point: we are his [and no one
elses!] work. The connotation is that we are a work of art. It is not only
the first and final work of God. It is a perfect work. Paul wants to
emphasize that the refashioning of people who were once dead in
offenses and sins [v. 1] are now a spiritually alive people, victorious
over the evil cosmic powers ranged against them [vv. 46], and is entirely
a work of God. Paul speaks of God preparing long ago the works in
which he intended his people to walk. The Greek term proetoimaz was
used to refer to the thoughtful preparation of something. The life of
goodness that regeneration produces has been prepared for believers to
perform, from all eternity. The road is already built. Here is a further
reason why the Christian has nothing left to boast about. Even the good he
now does has its source in God, who has made it possible.

Finally, we need to take into consideration the fine line between

predestination and human choice. First, when a person stresses too much
on the human will and not enough on Gods will in spiritual growth, the
results include:
-

working to please God or justify ourselves before him by being

good and doing good.

viewing sin as so dangerously and powerfully enticing as to need

policing by rigid, external, manmade restraints.

Specific ways that these distortions manifest themselves include:

1. Life seems increasingly exhausting and draining rather than joyous
and fulfilling [compare with 1 Peter 1:8-9].
2. Fear that one has not done enough good things or fear that one has
done too many bad things.
3. Doubt about whether one is really saved, or will stay saved
[compare with Jude 1:24-25].
4. Supernatural gifts of the Spirit seem more important than the fruit
of the Spirit because they appear to attest more dramatically to the
Spirits indwelling presence and to Gods approval [compare with
1 Corinthians 13:2-3].
5. Conformity to certain non-essential scriptural interpretations, or
rules of conduct become important validations of salvation.
6. Teaching focuses more on Gods standards and justice than on God
who is rich in mercy [v. 4]. Assurance of salvation seems a
dangerous door to temptation.
7. The distinction between justification and sanctification appears
blurred.

8. Shame lingers and seeks some form of anaesthetic.

9. The letter of the law receives more attention than the Spirit's law
of life in the Messiah Jesus [Romans 8:2, compare with these key
passages: 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Galatians 5:1; 1 Peter 2:16].
10. Perfect obedience rather than daily spiritual growth becomes lifes
goal [compare with Philippians 3:12-13].
Second, when a person stresses too much on Gods will and not enough on
the human will in spiritual growth, the results include:
-

mistaking Gods grace [vv. 5, 7-8] for freedom to do as one

pleases.
minimizing temptations power and sins consequences.

Specific ways that these distortions manifest themselves include:

1. Life in Christ seems much the same as any good persons life, but
with the benefit of an eternal life insurance policy [compare with 1
Peter 1:15-16, and think about the differences between what is
good and what is holy. Also recall from the last study on what it
means for us to be holy ones].
2. The initial indication of salvation, such as water baptism,
confirmation, or applying for church membership, receives more
attention than the ongoing process of growth.
3. Teaching emphasises the mercy and forgiveness of God over the
justice of God and losses resulting from sin [compare with John
15:1-6].
4. Sermons focus more on comfort and assurance than on conviction,
confession, and change. Hell is rarely mentioned.

5. The role of the Holy Spirit in empowering believers for godly

living receives little attention [recall Ephesians 1:17-20].
6. Distinctions between sanctification and glorification seem blurred.
7. The need for evangelists, missionaries, and counsellors for good
teaching in apologetics and theology is downplayed.
8. Parents and church leaders take a fatalistic approach toward the
spiritual life of family and church members and outsiders.
9. Immorality, addictions, and long-term sin problems are treated as
reminders that we are just human [compare with v. 10].
10. Self-examination seems a dangerous flirtation with guilt [compare
with 2 Corinthians 13:5].
Recall in the first study where God can operate in at least 2D of time [due
to him transcending the 10D of this universe]. This allows God to hear
everyones prayers simultaneously and to atone for every sin in one
sacrificial act.

Line A represents the universes time line. Christ atones for all the sins of
humanity and pays the redemption price in 2D of time, completely
independent of our time dimension. In this time plane, Christ suffers for
theoretically infinite time on infinite different time lines: a, b, c, etc. Thus,
since Christ was on the cross for 6 hours in our time dimension, he could
experience the payment for the sins of every human who has ever lived or
ever will live [hence Colossians 2:14].

As Jesus says, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the
beginning and the end. [Revelation 22:13]. Because of Gods power and
love, his foreknowledge implies much more than mere possession of
information. He has the capacity to use that information to influence future
events. The crucial question remains: how does God do the predestining
while guaranteeing us the freedom of our will? God can see not only what
occurs throughout a persons life but also the events and conditions
[physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually] in which things occur.
Each of us expresses our will in response to complex internal and external
factors. Knowing all these factors, including the characteristics of our
personality, the effects of our experiences and communications with
people and even with angels and demons, God anticipates the direction of
each choice and how strongly we will express our will in any instance.
Thus, God prescribes the exact conditions to generate the response of our
will at any given moment that fits into his total plan. We would remain
continuously in control of our will, while God would continuously control
the circumstances and conditions in and around us that impact our will.
This is true omniscience, and the reason why we are Gods masterpiece,
created in the Messiah Jesus to perform good actions that God prepared
long ago to be our way of life.

Summing Up
Therefore, a 3D time domain would enable God to predetermine every
action of every human being while sustaining the operation of human
choice. In 3D of time, God could generate causes anywhere within, on, or
outside the sphere. The line segment UE
represents the time dimension of the
universe. At point U the universe comes
into existence. At point E its existence
ends. Point B is the birth date for an
individual human. Point D is the time of
death, and point P is the present moment.
God, from a single point of time G, could
simultaneously influence points U, B, P,
D, and E along our time line.

God has rescued us from the desperate plight of sinful rebellion against
him and from our subservience to the devil, by uniting us with Christ in his
new life and position of victory over the enemy forces of the transcendent
realm. He has recreated us so that now we can walk not in the evil desires
of our minds, but as his holy ones. God has done this in such a way that by
it he has demonstrated the lavishly gracious nature of his character and the
ultimate purpose and meaning to life: love.