GOOGLE THE QUESTION AND YOU WILL GET ANSWERS FROM EVERY POSSIBLE PERSPECTIVE YOU CAN IMAGINE.....



I SUGGEST THAT REALLY LIVING IS AVOIDING DEATH....

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Remember who we used to be

“Dead”
Trespasses – stepping over the line
Sins – missing the target
“Going with the flow” – as a matter of course, because you didn’t know how to do anything differently

Followed the ways of the world –

the worldview that is opposed to God, one that results in…..

moral and spiritual perversity, waste of good, and the physical disorders and disruptions of a spoiled existence outside of God……

a path that includes people and attitudes indifferent at best and openly hostile at worst to God and his values….

a path we walk on……unconsciously unless we have a reason to take another one….

(Illus. Truth Project is a great way to learn more about the worlds view versus God’s view of things….)

Led by the ruler of this world – 2 Corinthians 4:4 - 4

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Satisfying our body’s appetites –

We make decisions based on our appetites and they draw us away from God….

our thoughts

our desires

(Illus. Feeding your appetites………p. 30-31.)

Objects of wrath

Like the rest – everybody outside of God……..

On autopilot - By nature – we were simply responding to our body’s appetites because we were by nature, slaves to them, unable to respond to God, to reach out for a remedy ……………

2     As for you, you were dead in your transgressions - stepping across the line, trespass..... and sins - missing the mark, being a bad shot, having a bad aim, by nature and not being able to anything about it.....2 in which you used to live - walk as a matter of course the paths you used to take,    
when you followed the ways of this world - according to the times of the age of t his world - the worldview that is opposed to God,Of the evils that infect God’s world (moral and spiritual perversity, waste of good, and the physical disorders and disruptions of a spoiled cosmos),  
  2 Cor 4:4
 
 
the ruler of the sphere of authority - important to realize that satan does have authority........kingdom of the air - Everyone, however, is not a Christian. This evil age is still very much present (Gal 1:4). In this age there is a “dominion of darkness” (Col 1:13) in which people are controlled by “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” (Eph 2:2). Paul refers to the human rulers of “this age” (1 Cor 2:8), the philosophers of “this age” (1 Cor 1:20) and the standards of “this age” (1 Cor 3:18). In this passage he refers to the being that controls “this age” as “the god of this age,” rather than using one of his other titles, such as Satan (2 Cor 11:14). Paul refers to Satan by such a title, not because he is a god in the sense of being an ultimate being, but because he is the being who controls the lives of unbelievers (including blinding their minds) and the one whom they serve (even if they think that they are serving their own self-interest or money or some particular deity). Kaiser, W. C. (1997, c1996). Hard sayings of the Bible (electronic ed.) (621). Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity.
 
the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient……….those who refuse to believe.....
 
3 All of us also
 
lived among them at one time
 
gratifying turning to address the appetites of our flesh, the cravings to strongly desire to have what belongs to someone else and/or to engage in an activity which is morally wrong—‘to covet, to lust, evil desires, lust, desire.of our flesh, sinful nature
and doing the will, desires of our flesh and the fleshly thoughts.......following its desires and thoughts.
 
Like the rest, we were by nature - the essence of who we are.......objects of wrath.   like the rest is at the end of the sentence for emphasis.....

Dead…who said?

Adam lived 930 years, and then he died

Seth lived 912 years, and then he died

Enosh lived 905 years, and then he died

Kenan lived 910 years, and then he died
Genesis 2:17, Genesis 3:1-5
Genesis 3:19 Genesis 5 - He lived……and he died…..

Colossians 1:21-22 - alienated

Ephesians 4:17-19 - separated

Hebrews 9:27 – destined to die

Ephesians 2:1
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins…

“…lifeless and motionless as far as any Godward activity is concerned”  Tyndale p. 77

reverend fun, 2007

But – a divine contrast that reminds us sin does not have the final word……

God displays His great love – it is not a mystery whether God loves us…..he makes it obvious through a direct demonstration

God made us alive –
at a point in time God makes this happen – the place in history when we become his

means to assist someone in getting up

made us alive with

Christ - word is a combination of with, to live, to do....to do life things together....whereas before we were busy doing death things together.....  with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions

saved us by grace - perfect passive participle......

something done to us, made a connection for us to the life giving power of Jesus where death reigned before , now life is…..


God raised us up -

God seated us with Christ in heavenly realms

After he establishes our position with Christ, our identity in Christ – he doesn’t stop there……

(Illus. Shows how God desires to save us from the problems of the present day as well as from the judgment of tomorrow……)

God keeps lavishing his kindness on us

over the top, farther than you would expect –
(Illus. Idea of watching a javelin thrower at a throw it farther than anyone in the competition…over the top performance and provision)

Don’t let anyone ever tell you that God doesn’t care…….

Reminds me of the song.... Redeemed How I love to Proclaim it…………

  
 

Salvation comes by grace –

you don’t deserve it, God because of his great mercy chooses to extend it to us
(Illus. have been saved  again the perf passive participle.....to rescue snatch from certain destruction)

Salvation is through faith – do you believe that Jesus died for your sins?

He is the conduit of grace and truth according to John 1:17

Salvation is not something we do – not of yourselves……

Salvation is a gift – are you willing to receive this gift? Or do you remain too proud to “take help?”

Salvation cannot be earned – not of works……..

(Illus. Can’t bow enough, pray enough, be churchy enough, suffer enough, etc…..)

Salvation is God’s “doing” – workmanship………..his handiwork……..his creative expression…from the hands of the most gracious, kind, merciful God…HIS!

Salvation includes our whole life’s work

For we are God’s workmanship his doing.....our entire lives are designed to be redeemed, dusted off by the work of the great, living, gracious, kind, merciful God.....
 
 In Christ Jesus – the only place works can be described as “good” –

to good works, good activities versus bad ones......
 
  which God prepared - aorist - point in time when God made a decision about what it was he wanted you to do.....wrapped up in your spiritual gifts, your genetics, your place of birth......none of which were a mistake a random act of chance....but the sovereign act of a God who sets things in place for us ahead of time........ in advance for us to do - to live our life’s calling, fulfilling as our manner of life what God has set aside for us to do…...

Adds new meaning to the phrase How are you doing?