Eph 2:4-7 | KingComments | STEP | . In you have seen what the human nature is – dead, without any connection to God – and how he acts by his nature. This all is subjected to the wrath of God and is therefore the only prospect for man. We cannot imagine a view that is more hopeless than this. And then come those hopeful and shining words “but God”. These words bring a mind-blowing transformation in the desperate situation of a person and open a source of blessing which is beyond our thinking. You’re going to see what the nature of God is and how He acts by His nature. In Romans 5 and Titus 3 you also read these words “but God” ( ; ). There also these words are an introduction on what God has done and contrast sharply with what man is and has done. In our verse God has not acted or God doesn’t act because we are so desperate. The first thing is not our misery or need. No, God is operating from Who He is and therefore His whole glory is being revealed. In what God is doing here, He alone is in action. Nothing is demanded from man; there is even no appeal for conversion. After all, how could a dead person hear anything, not to mention that he would be able to accede to any appeal? Surely, man is called to repent and is held responsible to heed that call. That side of the truth you find in the letter to the Romans. In the letter to the Ephesians everything comes from God. God is love, and mercy comes from His love. God is rich in mercy. How rich He is in mercy you can see if you think of the desperate and miserable situation as it is pictured in . In His great mercy God has bent down to you and raised you from that situation. In Ezekiel 16 we see a good illustration of that ( ). As already said, this action of God is based on “His great love”. Love goes a lot further than mercy. Mercy has to do with the misery in which a person is found. Love is above everything and apart from everything. God is love. That He was also when sin was not there yet and therefore there was no reason to show mercy. Then He had this thought to bless people with such wonderful, eternal and heavenly blessings that are only to be found in the mind of an almighty God. When He wants to bless them, He finds them in a situation of the . (It is important always to bear in mind that this is the background of God’s action.) Is God embarrassed by this situation? That is impossible. God would not be God if He would not use the situation, exactly to let shine “His great love with which He loved us”. The expression ‘with which He loved us’ appears also in John 17 ( ). Doesn’t it impress you that the expression there refers to the love of the Father for the Son? You see there that God loves us with the same love with which He loves the Son. This makes it clear once again that it is about an eternal love. These are all actions out of God’s great love. You see how everything that God did to us, is associated with what He did to Christ. God’s great love we see exactly in the fact that He not only had compassion for dead sinners to whom He has shown His mercy, but that He also wanted us to be partakers in everything that belongs to the inheritance of His beloved Son! This is quite a lot more than that only our sins would have been forgiven, isn’t it? Surely that would have been great on its own. And it would have been totally wonderful if He would have brought us back to paradise. But in connection with Christ God goes beyond all limits. To recognize this is the greatest revelation we could have after our conversion. . Think about it. The first step in the unfolding of His great love is that He made us “when we were dead in our transgressions … alive together with Christ”. This was the first thing that was necessary for us. It is clear that this step was needed to be taken by God. The same applies for the steps that follow after the first one, that these were made by God in order to bring us where He wanted us, according to His counsel. Receiving a new life, a new nature, stands in contrast to the depraved nature that characterized us in the past. It is also not only said that we are made alive; that also can be said of the believers in the Old Testament. Not a single man will ever enter God’s kingdom without having been made alive, which means without having life from God. However, only of the believers that belong to the church, can it be said that they are made alive “together with Christ”. Through our connection with Christ God gave us life that went through death. The life we received is resurrection life. The life that every child of God received who lives after the death on the cross, the resurrection and the ascension of the Lord Jesus, is the life of the risen and ascended Christ. Before Paul continues to describe God’s actions, we read the words “by grace you have been saved”. This emphasizes how lovingly God dealt toward us, who had entirely no right or capacity to deserve God’s favor in any way. . Also the second step to God’s purpose is taken by Him: He “raised us up with Him”. This step is closely related to the previous one; they are also very similar, yet there is a difference. The words ‘made alive’ are about a change in our condition . We were dead and have received new life. The words ‘raised up’ are about a change in our position , the area in which we are. We were in the world, the area of death. When Christ was raised up from the dead, He also came into another area and He had nothing to do anymore with the world before His death and resurrection. The problem of sin was solved. What God did to Him, He also did to us. Because we are raised up together with Christ, we also are no longer in the world the same way we were in the time before we were made alive. We now breathe in the atmosphere of life. And still that is not the end of God’s dealings with us. The third step is that He has “seated us with Him in the heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus”. You don’t read here that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places, but that we are there in Him. It is said this way because we are not actually there yet. He is there actually, and because the church is one with Him, we are also there. Although you are still on earth with your body, through faith you can accept that you are already in heaven in Christ. The three steps we paid attention to and in which God showed us His great love, He has taken with a purpose. That purpose is described in the following verse. Now read Ephesians 2:4-6 again. Reflection: How did God show His great love in these verses? Do you know more proofs of that great love?

‏ Ephesians 2:4-7

God, Rich in Mercy

Eph 2:4. In Eph 2:1-3 you have seen what the human nature is – dead, without any connection to God – and how he acts by his nature. This all is subjected to the wrath of God and is therefore the only prospect for man. We cannot imagine a view that is more hopeless than this. And then come those hopeful and shining words “but God”. These words bring a mind-blowing transformation in the desperate situation of a person and open a source of blessing which is beyond our thinking.

You’re going to see what the nature of God is and how He acts by His nature. In Romans 5 and Titus 3 you also read these words “but God” (Rom 5:8; Tit 3:4). There also these words are an introduction on what God has done and contrast sharply with what man is and has done.

In our verse God has not acted or God doesn’t act because we are so desperate. The first thing is not our misery or need. No, God is operating from Who He is and therefore His whole glory is being revealed. In what God is doing here, He alone is in action. Nothing is demanded from man; there is even no appeal for conversion. After all, how could a dead person hear anything, not to mention that he would be able to accede to any appeal?

Surely, man is called to repent and is held responsible to heed that call. That side of the truth you find in the letter to the Romans. In the letter to the Ephesians everything comes from God. God is love, and mercy comes from His love. God is rich in mercy. How rich He is in mercy you can see if you think of the desperate and miserable situation as it is pictured in Eph 2:1-3. In His great mercy God has bent down to you and raised you from that situation. In Ezekiel 16 we see a good illustration of that (Eze 16:1-14).

As already said, this action of God is based on “His great love”. Love goes a lot further than mercy. Mercy has to do with the misery in which a person is found. Love is above everything and apart from everything. God is love. That He was also when sin was not there yet and therefore there was no reason to show mercy. Then He had this thought to bless people with such wonderful, eternal and heavenly blessings that are only to be found in the mind of an almighty God.

When He wants to bless them, He finds them in a situation of the Eph 2:1-3. (It is important always to bear in mind that this is the background of God’s action.) Is God embarrassed by this situation? That is impossible. God would not be God if He would not use the situation, exactly to let shine “His great love with which He loved us”.

The expression ‘with which He loved us’ appears also in John 17 (Jn 17:26). Doesn’t it impress you that the expression there refers to the love of the Father for the Son? You see there that God loves us with the same love with which He loves the Son. This makes it clear once again that it is about an eternal love.

These are all actions out of God’s great love. You see how everything that God did to us, is associated with what He did to Christ. God’s great love we see exactly in the fact that He not only had compassion for dead sinners to whom He has shown His mercy, but that He also wanted us to be partakers in everything that belongs to the inheritance of His beloved Son!

This is quite a lot more than that only our sins would have been forgiven, isn’t it? Surely that would have been great on its own. And it would have been totally wonderful if He would have brought us back to paradise. But in connection with Christ God goes beyond all limits. To recognize this is the greatest revelation we could have after our conversion.

Eph 2:5. Think about it. The first step in the unfolding of His great love is that He made us “when we were dead in our transgressions … alive together with Christ”. This was the first thing that was necessary for us. It is clear that this step was needed to be taken by God. The same applies for the steps that follow after the first one, that these were made by God in order to bring us where He wanted us, according to His counsel. Receiving a new life, a new nature, stands in contrast to the depraved nature that characterized us in the past.

It is also not only said that we are made alive; that also can be said of the believers in the Old Testament. Not a single man will ever enter God’s kingdom without having been made alive, which means without having life from God. However, only of the believers that belong to the church, can it be said that they are made alive “together with Christ”.

Through our connection with Christ God gave us life that went through death. The life we received is resurrection life. The life that every child of God received who lives after the death on the cross, the resurrection and the ascension of the Lord Jesus, is the life of the risen and ascended Christ.

Before Paul continues to describe God’s actions, we read the words “by grace you have been saved”. This emphasizes how lovingly God dealt toward us, who had entirely no right or capacity to deserve God’s favor in any way.

Eph 2:6. Also the second step to God’s purpose is taken by Him: He “raised us up with Him”. This step is closely related to the previous one; they are also very similar, yet there is a difference. The words ‘made alive’ are about a change in our condition. We were dead and have received new life. The words ‘raised up’ are about a change in our position, the area in which we are. We were in the world, the area of death. When Christ was raised up from the dead, He also came into another area and He had nothing to do anymore with the world before His death and resurrection. The problem of sin was solved.

What God did to Him, He also did to us. Because we are raised up together with Christ, we also are no longer in the world the same way we were in the time before we were made alive. We now breathe in the atmosphere of life. And still that is not the end of God’s dealings with us.

The third step is that He has “seated us with Him in the heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus”. You don’t read here that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places, but that we are there in Him. It is said this way because we are not actually there yet. He is there actually, and because the church is one with Him, we are also there. Although you are still on earth with your body, through faith you can accept that you are already in heaven in Christ.

The three steps we paid attention to and in which God showed us His great love, He has taken with a purpose. That purpose is described in the following verse.

Now read Ephesians 2:4-6 again.

Reflection: How did God show His great love in these verses? Do you know more proofs of that great love?

Saved by Grace

Eph 2:7. The words “so that” indicate that what is now being described is the goal of the previous verses. After you’ve seen to which high position you were taken by God – seated in the heavenly places in Christ – you will now see why God gave you that position. With receiving that high place your blessings haven’t finished. There is far more to be expected by you. There will be a time, that is called here “the ages to come”, that the whole world shall see what God has done to you.

At the moment this is all a mystery for the world, as it is said in Colossians 3: “And your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3). It will be different in the ages to come, because right after that it is said: “When Christ who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Col 3:4; 1Jn 3:2). Then “the surpassing riches of His grace” will be visible. In Ephesians 1 we also saw “the riches of His grace” (Eph 1:7). There you have seen what you already have received, such as redemption and forgiveness. But everything you already have, will be displayed by God to the entire creation. That makes ‘the riches of His grace’ (Eph 1:7) the ‘surpassing riches of His grace’ (Eph 2:7).

Eph 2:8 also speaks of God’s grace, but first I want to look with you at “His grace in kindness toward us”. If you are fully aware of all this it makes you small. Kindness is the riches of God’s goodness which is in His heart and is being expressed through His actions. And hasn’t that kindness come toward us, toward you and me and every other child of God?

Who were the ‘us’? People who first were depraved, dead sinners; insignificant small creatures who hated God; who dared to lay their dirty hands on their Creator; who abused Him, scourged and mocked Him and spat in His face; who nailed Him to the cross and after they erected it, even there mocked Him and challenged Him to come down from the cross to make Him prove that He was Who He said He was: the Son of God. In this way you and I have treated Him and so killed Him. That was you and me. And ‘us’ He has blessed with such blessings! Can you imagine greater grace? Eternity will not be too long to worship Him for that.

And due to Whom will we be the representatives of God’s kindness in the ages to come? It is the Lord Jesus, as it is “in Christ Jesus” that God will show us His rich grace in the ages to come.

Eph 2:8. It is all grace! Again Paul returns to this point. There is not a thing from man involved, regarding this point. Even faith is called here a gift from God. It all fits with the content of the letter in which everything comes from God. If man would say: ‘But I have contributed to receiving the blessings, after all I have believed, haven’t I?’ then Paul takes away this argument. Even faith is a work of God; He worked that in us. You could say: grace is the basis, the starting point for God to bless us, while faith is the way along which, or the means through which, He could give us that blessing.

Actually, with ‘the gift of God’ not only ‘the faith’ is meant. That came from the reply I received from Gerard Kramer (an expert in the Greek original text) to my question what the word “it” refers to in the phrase “it is the gift of God”. Does it refer to what is right before that phrase, “through faith”, or does it refer to further back, “for by grace you have been saved”?

His reply was: The interesting thing is, there is no ‘it’ in the Greek original. Literally it is said: “and that [neuter] not of yourselves, of God the gift”. So the words “yourselves” and “God” are in contrast with each other. That’s why the question should be answered to which the former “that” (neuter) refers. The word “faith” is feminine. That’s why you could say that the meaning of ‘that’ (and so of ‘it’) goes a little further and that they both refer to by grace (also a feminine word!) you have been saved through faith. [End of reply.]

The blessing is called here “have been saved”. The original meaning of this word is: to arrive in a safe place right through all dangers. When Paul says here that we have been saved, it means that we have, as it were, already arrived safely. Also that fits with this letter. Saved here means the spiritual and eternal salvation, including all blessings that God gives to everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus.

Faith is not present in the heart of the natural man. The weed, that comes out of the heart of the natural man, is described to us in details in Romans 3 (Rom 3:9-19). Faith is not a wild plant or a plant that runs wild, but a beautiful flower that cannot be pulled out anymore if it is once planted by the heavenly Father. It is impossible to take away ‘the gift of God’. What He gives remains of Him and therefore remains in eternity.

Eph 2:9. To exclude all misunderstanding, the apostle adds to it that it is “not as a result of works”. Through my own works it is impossible to receive God’s blessing. How could you expect any activity from a corpse – we were after all dead in trespasses and sins? Everything has to come from God and indeed it happened like that. Concerning man, we must say that all boast is excluded. That boast belongs to God alone.

Eph 2:10. Does the previous verse mean that ‘works’ don’t count at all to the believer? To that question there is a clear answer, again entirely in accordance with the content of the letter. It is about a totally different kind of works than what the law requires from man. The works of the law are given to sinful people in order to enable them to deserve life.

The principle of the law has nothing to do with grace and faith, but with achievements that are to be expected from a sinful person: “However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM”” (Gal 3:12). Here in the letter to the Ephesians, however, it is about works that are the result of our salvation. They are the result of the fact that we are a new creation, “for we are His [i.e. God’s] workmanship”.

Indeed, as natural human beings we are also His workmanship: “And the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground” (Gen 2:7a). He is our Creator, Who “is mindful that we are [but] dust” (Psa 103:14). Or as how Elihu puts it: “I too have been formed out of the clay” (Job 33:6). In this letter, however, it is about what we have become as new people. And just as Adam in no way had contributed to his own creation, we neither have contributed in any way to become a new creation. And just as Adam received the commandment to work, we as new creations also have to work.

The works that God expects from us as new people, again fits with the content of this letter. You don’t have to rack your brain over what you should do. God already had thoughts about that when He thought of you in eternity. Just as He had predestined you for sonship (Eph 1:5), He also had prepared good works beforehand that you should walk in them. Your position finds its origin there in eternity and also your good works find their origin there.

You see that here it is about works that were already prepared before the law was given. It is one of the proofs which show that a believer, who belongs to the church, has nothing to do with the law; the law cannot be a rule of life to him. The law is destined for man who belongs to the earth, the old creation. The believer doesn’t belong to the earth anymore, but, as a new creation, to heaven. There he is already seated in Christ, as someone who is “created in Christ Jesus”, Who is seated by God at His right hand in the heavenly places (Eph 1:20).

What is said here of ‘good works’ makes clear that the believer is not only seen as in the heavenly places, but that at the same time he is also on earth amidst the old creation. He is someone who can realize heavenly matters in daily life on earth, the old creation. It is about ‘good’ works, meaning that the Christian from God is given to do things that are to the benefit of his environment.

For a Christian who recognizes these works, life will lose all convulsiveness. What is more simple than to walk in the works in which God already has provided and thereby only to trust on His grace? In short, walking in good works consists of the following: to show on earth Who the glorified Christ is in heaven. In the chapters 4 and 5 this will be developed further.

Now read Ephesians 2:7-10 again.

Reflection: What demonstrates the riches of God’s grace?