Articles
But Now We Are Alive!
In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul is addressing the church, reminding them where they were, what Jesus did for them, and where they are now. This encouragement is certainly the same for us, we are in the same circumstances as human beings. So his encouragement for them should be encouragement for us too.
You were dead in your sins....
You used to follow the ways of the world....
You were gratifying the cravings of the flesh....
Like it or not, you were objects of God's wrath!
BUT........
Out of His great love, God Who is rich in mercy.....
God made us alive!....by His grace-
He raised us up to be seated with Him in Heavenly realms
with Christ Jesus,
SO THAT.....
He might show the incomparable riches of His grace to us.....
Show us His kindness in Christ Jesus
AND save us by grace working through our faith...
Which is a gift from God, not something we can earn...
SO NOW......
We are God's handiwork, created in Christ.....
To do good works, which God prepared for us to do!
Being alive in Christ Jesus is not just something we hope for, it is something we are assured of, when we are baptized into Christ in His blood, which brings reconciliation. After Paul tells the church how we got where we are, he says something that we should praise God for every moment of every day..."But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ."
Glory be to God for His love which became available to us through the blood of His Son, because without it, we would be separated from God not only in this life, but for eternity as well.
Eph 2:1-10 paraphrased
Eph 2:13 NIV
