Useful Bible Studies > Ephesians Commentary > chapter 2
Christians need to understand that God has changed their lives in the most wonderful way. Before they put their trust in God, their situation was truly hopeless. They were guilty of many wrong and evil deeds (Romans 3:23), and the certain result of that behaviour is death (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). Therefore, in God’s opinion, they were already dead.
We do not, of course, mean that their bodies were dead. There is a worse death than the death of the body, and that is the death of a person’s spirit (compare Luke 12:4-5 and Revelation 20:13-14). It is our own sin (evil deeds) that causes us to be in this terrible state. We fail to live by God’s standards for our lives. We even choose, on purpose, to do wrong and evil things.
So, it should not surprise us that God’s anger is against us (Romans 1:18). God is our judge and his judgements are always right (Genesis 18:25; Revelation 15:3-4). Of course a good judge must punish evil behaviour; of course God is angry with our evil deeds.
We cannot save (rescue) ourselves from this desperate state - but God’s mercy (kindness) is great. He has the power to cause even dead people to live again (Hebrews 11:19), and that is what God has done for his people (2:5). God gave them the power to turn from their evil deeds and to put their trust in Christ. So, the result of Christ’s death for them (Romans 5:6-8) is that their spirits, once dead, are now alive. God has forgiven their evil deeds. The life that God’s Holy Spirit has put into their spirits, will never end (Romans 5:21).
Next part: What power does the devil have? (Ephesians 2:2)
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© 2019, Keith Simons.