Eph 2:1-10 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Eph 2:1-10: 2:1-10 Paul reflects on the terrible situation of the believers before they believed in Christ and the grace of God that has spared them. Summary for Eph 2:1-3: 2:1-3 Paul’s readers were once like dead people before God (see 2:5 ; Col 2:13 ). Because of their disobedience and sins , driven by the power of the devil , they were condemned along with the rest of the world to suffer God’s judgment.

Summary for Eph 2:1-10: 2:1-10 ^a Paul reflects on the terrible situation of the believers before they believed in Christ and the grace of God that has spared them.
Summary for Eph 2:1-3: 2:1-3 ^b Paul’s readers were once like dead people before God (see 2:5 ^c; Col 2:13 ^d). Because of their disobedience and sins, driven by the power of the devil, they were condemned along with the rest of the world to suffer God’s judgment.
2:2 ^e Human sin results from our being governed by the devil, the spirit who rules both the powers of evil in the spiritual realm (see 1:21 ^f; 6:11-12 ^g; cp. Col 1:13 ^h) and human beings who refuse to obey God (2 Cor 4:4 ⁱ; contrast Rom 8:2-14 ^j; Gal 5:22-23 ^k).
2:3 ^l Unconverted people are naturally under the control of the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature (see Rom 3:9-20 ^m, 23 ⁿ). Because of their sin, they are subject to God’s anger, because God hates sin (see Eph 5:6 ^o; Rom 1:18 ^p; 2:5 ^q, 8 ^r; 3:5 ^s, 19 ^t; 4:15 ^u; 5:9 ^v; 9:22 ^w; 12:19 ^x; 13:4-5 ^y; Col 3:6 ^z; 1 Thes 1:10 ^aa; 2:16 ^ab; 5:9 ^ac).
Summary for Eph 2:4-10: 2:4-10 ^ad By God’s mercy, kindness, and love, those who are joined to Jesus Christ are saved from the terrible consequences of their sin and enjoy the benefits of Christ’s resurrection.
2:5 ^ae gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (literally made us alive together with Christ): Joined with Christ, believers share in his resurrection, now and in the future (see 2:6 ^af; Rom 6:4-14 ^ag; Col 3:1-4 ^ah).

• It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved: See Eph 1:2 ^ai; 2:8-9 ^aj.
2:6 ^ak united with Christ Jesus: Because of this union, believers share God’s glory and blessings, and experience resurrection both now and in the future (see Rom 6:4-14 ^al; Col 2:12-13 ^am; 3:1-4 ^an).
2:7 ^ao grace: See study note on 1:2.
Summary for Eph 2:8-9: 2:8-9 ^ap This is a concise summary of how a person is saved. It is a cardinal tenet of the Good News that people are made righteous through trust in Christ rather than through their own merit (see Rom 1:16-17 ^aq; 3:24-25 ^ar; Gal 2:16 ^as; cp. John 3:16 ^at, 36 ^au). Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done (see Rom 3:21–4:8 ^av; 9:16 ^aw; Gal 3:2-10 ^ax; 5:1-6 ^ay; cp. 2 Tim 1:9 ^az; Titus 3:5 ^ba). Salvation is for those who trust Christ alone to save them. As a result, none of us can boast about it (cp. Rom 3:27 ^bb; 4:2 ^bc; 1 Cor 1:30-31 ^bd; Gal 6:14 ^be).
2:10 ^bf He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us: Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation. God’s Spirit, working through a transformed heart, produces a good life (Gal 5:22-23 ^bg).