◄ What Does Ephesians 2:2 Mean? ►

The extraordinary riches of God's glory and His glorious inheritance of the saints, which is ours in Christ Jesus, cascades into our hearts in the first chapter of Ephesians. As we read this chapter, we discover the overflowing riches of God's grace and the tender love that the Father has bestowed on all who trust in Christ as Saviour, for we are accepted in the Beloved and have become eternally united with our Saviour, by grace through faith in Christ alone.

The second chapter of this wonderful epistle contains equally amazing treasures, for it explains our position in Christ. We discover that God has raised us up with Christ and given us the life of Christ. He has come to dwell our hearts and guide us into all truth, and we have been seated together with Him in heavenly realms.

But Paul reminds us at the start of chapter 2, of what we once were before we were redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, forgiven of our sins, born from above, baptised into the Body of Christ, and made children of God through our position in Christ, as a result of His finished work at Calvary.

We were dead in trespasses and sins, estranged from God, and under His righteous condemnation. We were enemies of our Creator and walked according to the course of this world. We lived in the passion of the flesh, carried out our own selfish lusts, and lived out life in the fleshly desires of our body and mind.

Before we were saved, we over-indulged our sinful nature, following the ways of this world, for we were enslaved by a fallen angel: "That old serpent who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world." We were spiritually dead and in bondage to the 'god of this world'. We wallowed in the pit of sin and were subjugated by the 'prince of the power of the air' who is that evil spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

The incredible contrast of what we were before redemption and what we are after salvation is starkly contrasted in this verse.

No longer are we lost sinners ensnared by the world and slaves to Satan's evil plans. No longer is our inner man spiritually dead, at enmity with God, and under His eternal condemnation. We who were once estranged from our Creator have been brought near by the blood of Christ and placed in eternal union with Him having been given "above all that we can ask or think," by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone.

Heavenly Father, thank You that I have been released from bondage to sin and death. Thank You that I have been set free from walking according to the course of this world. Thank You that I have been delivered from slavery to sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil. Thank You that I am no longer a son of disobedience and estranged from You, but that in Christ, the Spirit of God now works in me and is conforming me into the likeness of Your dearly beloved Son. May I live each day to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.