Ephesians Study
Chapter 2
Verse 5: Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).
Verse 6: And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Amplified Bible
Even when we were dead: It is so easy to look over these words. We were dead in our shortcomings and trespasses. It is our state of being without Christ. Paul is describing the condition of Jew and Gentle without Christ. We had the devil’s death sentence from the Garden of Eden that the Lord has broken. Jew and Gentile were the same in their legalism. David, in Psalm 119:34, says: “Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law.” Something went terribly wrong in man’s relationship with God that the law became something burdensome instead of the counselor and delight that David speaks of in Psalm 119 and other places. The Jew chose the law to save themselves and the Gentiles were lawless which means that the rules were theirs…just another type of legalism. It might have “felt” much freer than keeping a law, but freedom is in the Lord. This is one of those paradoxes…the dying to be alive. Self is all about either keeping the law from legalism or making it up as we go. The Jew had an arrogance that they were better. Legalism tends to measure self as better than others. On the other hand, the Gentile’s arrogance comes from self-sufficiency and independence. Either way, without the Lord, we are the walking dead.
Alive together in fellowship and union with Christ—Rather than being dead, the Jew and Gentile were together in fellowship with each other and in union with Christ. This is beautiful. There is no true fellowship with one another unless there is oneness/union with Christ. This process of not being dead but alive is relational. It starts with a relationship with the Lord called union. It is more than knowing about him, it is KNOWING Him with such intimacy that we have the mind of God, the heart of God. the fullness of God. Often God said His people had committed spiritual adultery. He is serious about our relationship with Him. When we turn it into rules and regulations, this is one type of adultery. When it is about the other extreme of legalism, this is another type of adultery. You cannot serve two masters. We are only alive when we are in union with Him.
New life for our old life—We do not get a new life of flesh. We are offered the very life of Christ. The life of the resurrection; the spiritual life. Taking on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ…the dying to live…is this mystery that cannot be explained. It can only be experienced and experienced continually. The new spiritual life will speak truth to your spirit and heart. Those “laws” which David called a counselor will do just that for the internal life showing/telling you the truth about yourself so that you are able to die to the old agenda. Paul weaves all this beautifully together. It is definitely a mystery of love.
Favor and mercy—The Lord has extended to us favor and mercy. He did it from the foundation of the world, and this means that He did it before we came along to try to deserve anything. He knows us so well. Guilt has us trying to be good enough and do enough. Guilt and shame from the Garden forgets their Genesis 1 beginning…everything was good. Since then it has been a works orientation. Favor and mercy would have us hear the “It is finished” that God speaks over the situation because of Christ’s death on the cross.
Saved, delivered from what evil had planned—The evil one is represented in the story of the woman caught in adultery. The evil one in the garden did in the beginning what those men did to that woman…they set her up to catch Christ in a dilemma. Judging and death. We are saved and can hear the words: I do not condemn you, go and sin no more. What beautiful freedom.
Made partakers of Christ’s salvation—This is so beautiful! There is nothing that involves the work of man. We are made partakers! God has done this for us.
We are raised up with Christ—Hallelujah! His death, burial, and resurrection are ours. Only God has the power to call anyone from the tomb…even spiritually. Here is Paul trying to explain this mystery to them and to us. It is spiritually discerned! That still small voice that speaks to us of heavenly matters, our counselor, reminds us that we are raised up with Christ.
Sit down together in heavenly places—The word I love here is “together.” It is all good, but together again speaks of the relationship. Where He is, He wants us to be. This is more than a physical being somewhere. It is also spiritual. The Lord said He would write the law on the heart and mind. Here is the symbolism of the ark of the covenant which contained the law (counselor/guidepost/markers). That most holy place which represented the throne of God is the place of sitting down together in heavenly places…on earth as in heaven.
No comments:
Post a Comment