“But God” – 2 of the most glorious words in all the Bible! Paul doesn’t say, “but you.” When we could do nothing to save ourselves, God did something. Salvation is of the Lord. It was God who took the initiative. God acted. With man salvation is impossible, but with God all things are possible!
Teaching Notes:
But God!
Ephesians 2:4-6
Intro: Eph.2:1-3 paints one of the blackest pictures of unregenerate men in the entire Bible. This is our own spiritual condition before we were converted. We were dead in trespasses and sins. We walked according to the course of this world. We walked according to the prince of the power of the air. We lived in the lusts of our flesh. We were by nature children of wrath. We were slaves to the world, the flesh, and the devil. We were spiritually dead, and were under the wrath of God headed for an eternity of torment in hell. We were helpless to change our condition. Our case was humanly hopeless, because we were helpless, because we were dead.
“But God” – 2 of the most glorious words in all the Bible! Paul doesn’t say, “but you.” When we could do nothing to save ourselves, God did something. Salvation is of the Lord. It was God who took the initiative. God acted. With man salvation is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
1. What Did God Do?
A. He United Us To Christ: 2:5 “with Christ; 2:6 “with Him” 2x; “in Christ Jesus”; 2:7 “in Christ Jesus.” Paul is going to great pains to show that we have been united to Christ, so that what happens to Him, also happens to us. Remember 1:19-23. There Paul said he was praying that these believers who know what is the surpassing greatness of God’s power toward believers. This power is the same power that was exercised in Jesus Christ. 2:1-3 Christ died – we were dead in sins
2:5 – Christ was raised from the dead – we were made alive together with Christ
2:6 – Christ ascended to heaven – we were raised up with Him
2:6 – Christ sat down at the Father’s right hand – we were seated with Him.
If you wanted to get 1 Siamese twin from China to the U.S., would take great power – jet airplane. But the same power that it would take to get 1 Siamese twin across world would be at work in the other twin as well. Why? Because they are united. Because of our union to Christ, the same power that was at work in Christ in raising and seating Him has spiritual implications in our lives as well.
This union was planned before the foundation of the world (1:4). It became a reality when the Spirit of God regenerated us.
B. He Made Us Alive Together With Christ: this is exactly what our case needed. We were dead to God, cut off from Him, alienated from Him. There was nothing we could do to change that situation. A corpse can’t bring itself to life. It is in a state of complete helplessness – total inability! Our great need was life – that was God’s answer. Christ’s bodily resurrection was a prototype of our spiritual resurrection. Because you are in Him, His resurrection brings you a resurrection. The same power that raised Christ bodily, is the same power that raised you spiritually. Becoming a Christian is nothing less than experiencing a spiritual resurrection. John 5:24-25. This is the New Birth. A baby is brought into a whole new world. We too, when regenerated, are brought into a whole new spiritual world. For the first time we can see the kingdom, hear Jesus’ words, understand the things of the Spirit, please God, come to Christ, and receive the Holy Spirit. It’s as big a change as a blind man receiving sight, and a deaf man hearing. 2 Cor. 5:17 says the old things pass away, and all things become new. There are new desires, values, affections, attitudes, and goals. You hate what you once loved and love what you once hated. It’s like a hog being changed into a man. Before he was very happy eating slop. The instant he is changed into a man, he yanks his head out of that slop, and vomits it all up, and runs to clean it all off. You are made alive from the dead if you are a Christian!
C. He Raised Us Up With Him: because we are “in Him”, when He ascended to heaven, so did we. If I’m in a rocket, and that rocket ascends to the moon, I ascend to the moon too. This is positional truth. Practically I’m still on planet earth – positionally I’m raised with Christ to heaven. Col. 3:3 says “my life is hidden with Christ in God.” I share the very life of Jesus Christ. This life has its source in Christ who is in heaven. Thus, I too, am in the heavens, as far as my life is concerned. It’s like a gigantic weeping willow tree in heaven. The willow tree has branches so long that they reach all the way down to the earth. Christ is the tree. We are the branches. He is in heaven, and although we are on the earth physically, we are in heaven when it comes to our life source.
D. He Seated Us With Him in the Heavenly Places: the high priest of the OT first killed the goat on the brazen altar in the outer court, then entered into the holy of holies to sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat. As he did so, he had the names of the 12 tribes engraved on his heart and shoulders. He was acting as their representative. All the people of Israel were seen in their High Priest. Even so, Jesus Christ as our High Priest offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins in the outer court of this world. Then He ascended to heaven, to enter into the holy of holies heaven itself to present His own blood to God on behalf of His chosen people. When Jesus died, ascended, and sat down, He did so as the Representative of His people. In everything Jesus did, He represented us. He represented us in His life – His righteous deeds are imputed to us. He represented us in His death – our sins are imputed to Him. He represented us in His resurrection – we are made alive in Him. He represented us in His ascension – we were raised in Him. Also in His enthronement – we sat down with Him. We are seen by the Father as being “in Christ” and every moment of our lives He is giving us perfect representation before the throne.
Implications for our Lives:
1) Our Salvation is Perfectly Completed: the priest in the Old Testament never sat down. There were no chairs in the Tabernacle or Temple. For Christ to sit down means His work of salvation has been completed. For us to sit down with Him, means that our salvation has been perfectly completed. We aren’t working – we are resting in the finished work of Christ. Jesus hasn’t done most of the work, and now it’s up to us to do the rest. No – He’s done it all! Our salvation is finished, completed, fully accomplished in Him! There is nothing lacking in our salvation. We are not half-saved. We are fully saved. Are you resting in His finished work?
2) We No Longer Belong to the World: previously we belonged entirely to the world. We walked according the course of this world. Gal.1:4; 1Jn.5:4-5. This is one of the major differences between regenerate and unregenerate. The unregenerate are overcome by the world and controlled by it. They are squeezed into its mold. But Christians are strangers and aliens. We don’t belong here. We have our citizenship in heaven. We are just passing through. Col.3:1-3 – instead of being worldly-minded, we need to become heavenly-minded. Refuse to let the world squeeze you into its mold! Refuse to form your values and judgments by the world’s ideologies. Worldly-mindedness includes the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. Get your mind off of the world and onto Christ, heaven, things of the Spirit. Are you seeking the things of earth or heaven, such as holiness, fellowship, growth in grace, ministry and service?
3) We Are No Longer Under the Dominion of Satan: We are raised and seated far above all rule, authority, power and dominion. We are no longer in the kingdom of Satan. Col.1:13. We used to walk according to the prince of the power of the air. We were willing dupes of Satan. We were not only controlled by the world, but by the one who controls the world. Now we belong to the kingdom of Christ. We are under the control of the Holy Spirit, not evil spirits. We were held captive by the devil to do his will, but are no longer his slaves. We are free from his tyranny! Thus, live like free men! Say NO to his temptations and resist his advances. Submit to God and he will flee from you. He can’t force you to do his will. You must give your consent. Don’t do it!
4) We Are No Longer Under The Wrath Of God: we were by nature children of wrath. Now we belong to the heavenlies. The world is a doomed place – it’s under judgment. God will judge and pour out His wrath upon it. The believer has been taken out of it. He has already passed from judgment to life. He is sitting with Christ in the heavenly places. He’s near to God, not under His wrath. He’s under grace. He’s in the place of fellowship and communion with God. It’s irrational and inconsistent for us to live at a distance from God. Positionally we are seated with Him in the heavenlies. We ought to be at home with God. Communion with Him ought to be the most natural thing in the world to us! Is it?
2. When Did God Do It?
A. Even When We Were Dead In Our Transgressions: when we had no power or ability to resurrect ourselves. He did it. Faith is a spiritual activity. Someone spiritually dead can’t perform a spiritual activity. We must be given life before we can perform a spiritual activity. If we were given life when we were dead than it is obvious that our life was not produced by our faith. We had no faith because we were dead! We were like a car with a dead battery. The lights won’t shine and the radio won’t play. Do you say, “If I could just get my lights to come on, then my battery would be made alive?” No, you say, “If I can just get my battery recharged, my lights will come on.” When someone who had no interest in Jesus Christ comes to believe in Him with all their heart, you know Someone has been fooling around under the hood! Their soul was dead to God – they could not believe or repent. But now you can’t stop them from believing or repenting. What happened? God has given them a new heart and made their soul come alive.
Implications for Evangelism: we think if we can just get the sinner to do “accept Christ”, raise their hand or come forward at an altar call, then God will respond with forgiveness and salvation. But it’s actually the other way around. God must do something, and then the sinner will respond. We are commonly taught that the soul-winner should ask a person a series of questions. If they answer “ye” to all of them, we lead them in the sinner’s prayer, and then pronounce them saved. The tragedy is that thousands of people go through these motions, but their heart is never changed by God. They are basically the same person they used to be, only worse, because they are deceived into thinking they are saved when they are not. In our evangelism we should be much more concerned with how God is working in a person’s heart and life than whether they go through some outward motions. Has God changed their desires, affections, interests, desires and values?
3. Why Did God Do It?
A. Our Wrong Conceptions: we think it is because we were better than others. No! We were children of wrath, even as the rest. Or it was because we were more attractive to God. No, we were dead in our transgressions. Have you ever known a corpse to be attractive? We think it was because we deserved it. No, we lived in the lusts of our flesh. Was it because we had a softer heart? No, we had hearts of stone. The reason God made us alive had nothing to do with us, and everything to do with Him. Why then?
B. Because Of His Great Love: God loves all men, but His love for the world is different than His love for His elect. 1:4-5. It is “Great” love because it is a saving, covenant love. It is everlasting, unchanging, sovereign, invincible, and omnipotent. God’s love is demonstrated to us in 2 ways:
1) Mercy: rich in mercy. Doesn’t give us what we do deserve – eternal condemnation. This is God’s love directed toward sinners in their misery. Mercy takes away the negative consequences of sin.
2) Grace: by grace you have been saved. God grace gives us what we don’t deserve. This is His love directed toward sinners in their guilt. Grace gives us the positive blessings we have not earned. Mercy pities; grace pardons.
Implications for our Lives:
1) These Truths Should Motivate Us Toward Worship: your salvation is a work of God, pure and simple! It is not a result of your works, your faith, your repentance because you were dead! He made you alive when you were dead. Not unto us, O Lord, but to Thy name give glory!
2) These Truths Should Motivate Us Toward Humility: we were no different than anyone else when God made us alive. We should never think that we are going to heaven because we were somehow better than others. Never get puffed up. If finding yourself getting a big head, read Ephesians 2 again! God took us from the dunghill and raised us to sit with princes!
3) These Truths Should Motivate Us To Take Advantage Of Our Exalted Position: are you living above the world, flesh, and the devil? Are you living in communion with Christ? Resting in the Finished Work of Jesus? Living in confident hope that one day you will be on that throne in a glorified body? Live in light of what is true about you. Are you feeling distant, tempted, struggling with sin – remember you are seated with Christ in the heavenlies! Let this permeate your entire thinking. Let it radically change the way you live!
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