Ephesians 2: 1-10

Amon Goeth: They fear us because we have powers over their lives. They do not know when they will die. We do.Oskar Schindler: Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don't.Amon Goeth:You think that's power?Oskar Schindler: That's what the Emperor said. A man steals something, he's brought in before the Emperor, he throws himself down on the ground. He begs for his life, he knows he's going to die. And the Emperor ... pardons him. This worthless man, he lets him go.Oskar Schindler: That's power, Amon. That is power.Amon Goeth: I think you are drunk

Ephesians 2:1-10Made Alive with Christ

1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil — the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago

Mercy: “not getting what you do deserve”

Grace: “getting what you do not deserve”

Mercy in the OT and in the Gospels: hesed (in the OT); eleos and oiktirmos (in the NT) someone in need and respond with both pity and

action. The blind man of Jericho cried out to Jesus for

mercy because he was in great need (Luke 18:38-39).

Giving to the poor is an act of mercy (eleemosune, Matt 6:2-4). When Jesus blessed the merciful (Matt 5:7), he was talking about people who respond with pity and action to those in need.

Grace in the Old Testament: cheyn, meaning favor "But Noah found grace/favor in the eyes of the

Lord" (Gen 6:8); "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace/favor to the humble" (Prov 3:34).

Grace in the New Testament: charis, of charis is a gift, or the generosity that

inspires that gift. "For by grace you are saved through faith..."

(Eph 2:8): it’s by God's sheer generosity that we receive the gift of salvation

Mercy

Salvation limited to escape from hell

We were raised from the dead

God’s discretion: respond to pity

We are no longer God’s object of wrath

Mercy helps you escape the penalty of sin

Grace

Salvation is wholeness

We are seated us with him in the heavenly realms

God’s gift: respond to righteousness

For we are God’s masterpiece

Grace gives power over sin

Salvation is NOT a get-out-of-jail-free-card; it's NOT about going to heaven when we die

It’s about bringing heaven down on to the earth while we live

soteria = rescue or safety (physically or morally): deliver, health, salvation, save, saving.

2 Peter 1:3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

We cannot work to receive more because He has given all, and He will not remove what He has already given.

Col 3:1-4 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.

How does Christ appear (made manifest)? phaneroo

Thayer Definition: 1) to make manifest or visible or known what has

been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way

1a) make actual and visible, realised 1b) to make known by teaching

Heaven is not a destination; it is a revelation.

A Christian’s salvation is based not on pity but on justice.

Psalm 80:3 Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

Exodus 33:20-23 (NKJV) But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” ......Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”

God’s face brings you favour Numbers 6:25-26 (NIV)

25 the LORD make his face shine upon youand be gracious to you;

26 the LORD turn his face toward youand give you peace."

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

“was with God”: Pros Theon a preposition of direction; forward to, that is, toward Leaning towards God

God’s face turned from Jesus to you Psalm 22

1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me,

And from the words of My groaning?2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;

And in the night season, and am not silent.God’s favour for you is secured by Justice meted on Jesus.

Justice has 2 sides

Justice: you HAVE to be punished if you had not been punished.

Justice: since you have punished, you MUST NOT be punished again.

Is God angry with you? Is God not satisfied with you? Is God unhappy with you because you have not

done enough for His Kingdom? Is God upset with you because you have

conformed to the patterns of this world?

What did Paul mean by conformity of this world? Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the

pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

v1: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy ….”

2 keys words:

Therefore: find out what is it “there for”

God’s mercy

Romans 1:16-17 “The Gospel is the power of God and reveals

God’s righteousness which is by faith” 1:18-4:25 Justification by Faith 1:18-3:20 We cannot gain righteousness from the law 3:21-4:25 Righteousness by faith as shown from

Abraham’s life 5:6-21 Reconciled by Christ’s death. 6-7 Freedom from sin through grace.

Enslavement to sin by Law 7 Inability of the law to bring freedom 8 Victory thru the Spirit and not the Mosiac Law 9 How Israel missed the mercies of God.

Conformity to the world means …

Trying to be righteous by Good Works via the Law! It must be in view of God’s mercy not by our

righteousness. Paul is saying that you have to transform the way

you think: Not to try to be righteous by the law but be righteous by God’s gift of grace.

You are at peace and already whole Romans 5:1 “Therefore, since we have been justified

through faith, we have peace [of the Messiah’s peace] with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”

Colossians 1:22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation

Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence.

God and you become a gainer under grace. It is much more

Leviticus 5:16 (NIV) 16 He must make restitution for what he has failed to do in regard to the holy things, add a fifth of the value to that and give it all to the priest, who will make atonement for him with the ram as a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven.

1 Corinthians 15:56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.

The law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power (Message)

Romans 7:7 -8 “Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.

MATTHEW 5:17

17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

EPHESIANS 2:15

15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,

What is Matthew 5:17 about? Teaching about the Law

17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.

Before Matthew 5:17 The Beatitudes

3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,

for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.4 God blesses those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.5 God blesses those who are humble,

for they will inherit the whole earth.

The statement is made in context of people thinking on the onset of Jesus Ministry that the Law has been abolished.

The Law will only be abolished (fade away) at the time when Jesus cuts the New Covenant at the cross!

Romans 7:4-6 (The Message) So, my friends, this is something like what has taken

place with you. When Christ died he took that entire rule-dominated way of life down with him and left it in the tomb, leaving you free to "marry" a resurrection life and bear "offspring" of faith for God.

Romans 7:4-6 For as long as we lived that old way of life, doing

whatever we felt we could get away with, sin was calling most of the shots as the old law code hemmed us in. And this made us all the more rebellious.

2 Peter 1:4 (NIV)

4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

It is because we are FUSED into His nature that we are TRANSFORMED.

Our nature becomes His, and we are as such NATURALLY divinely obedient.

By grace we are made whole

By grace we are seated in the seat of favour

By grace we receive favour legally

By grace we become the workmanship of God

By grace we overcome sin as the law and its power is abolished