AND YOU HE MADE ALIVE

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,  in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,  among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,  even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised usup together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.--Ephesians 2:1-10


To My Daughters in Him,


I memorized the first 10 verses of Ephesians chapter 2 over 15 years ago.  No other set of verses in the Bible have been more of a blessing to my heart than these.  They remind me that at one time I was dead in trespasses and sins...a child of wrath...I was a slave to sin....a dead man walking.  They remind me that but for the grace, mercy and love of my God, I would still be in that state.  My God made me alive together with Him, forgiving all my sins by blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that were not only against me, but contrary to me.  He did not wave what stood against me (my sins) in my face and send me to hell.  NO!  He took them out of the way and nailed them to the cross and the spike used went through the palms of my Jesus.  My God disarmed principalities and powers  and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them. 


When I am tempted in pride to feel superior to another,  I recall this verse:  AND YOU HE MADE ALIVE WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS.  It is so easy for me to think I am something...I so need the reminders in the word of God that tell me otherwise...that tell me that apart from God I am nothing.  I am spiritually dead...unable to experience anything good.   Possession of true life comes through Jesus.  He who has the Son has life, He who does not have the Son does not have life.  


We have been saved by grace alone through faith alone...there is nothing in salvation that man can glory in but God.  Because of the work of my Jesus on the cross, I are now and forever under His banner of love and delivered from the kingdom of darkness, from condemnation and from divine judgment. Salvation from sin and death is by and because of the love of God.  That is the motivator. It was because of His great love that He provided a way for us to return to Him. When we reject Him, we not only reject His Lordship in our lives but we reject the great love with which He loved us.  It is His love that reaches out to each one of us who are His enemies...sinful, rebellious and depraved....and offers us not only salvation but every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. 


What then should be my response to God as His chosen one...holy and beloved?  Colossians 3 comes to mind...pay special attention to the last paragraph (verses 12-17).  


If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.  


Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,  in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.


But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,  and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slavenor free, but Christ is all and in all.


Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;  bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.--Colossians 3:1-17


Love
Mom