GOD'S GRACE TO THE SINNER

God's grace is a subject beyond description. As did Paul, we can only exclaim that His ways are deep and past finding out. The passage which is involved in this lesson (Eph. 2:1-10) speaks of God's grace in terms of three verbs.

In the original Greek, all three of these verbs are participles. They express (here) a state of being, a condition. English versions do not make this extremely clear, but they are sufficient for understanding and communicating the flow of thought when it is evident to the speaker.

Body

I. "YOU, BEING DEAD IN SINS" (literally).

   A. Characterized our former way of life ("walk").

   B. It is the course of the old world and nature.

        1. Course of this world.

        2. Prince of the power of the air (Satan).

        3. Spirit now working in sons of disobedience (spirit of rebellion and disobedience).

        4. Lusts of the flesh and mind (God is as repulsed by sins of the mind, heart, or spirit as by more noticeable sins of the flesh. Both are from Satan).

        5. By nature (studied practice, habitual disposition) children of wrath.

II. "GOD, BEING RICH IN MERCY" (literally).

   A. God's great love the only answer.

   B. He made us to share in Christ's actions on our behalf.

        1. Made us alive with Christ.

        2. Made us to be raised up with Christ.

        3. Made us sit in the heavenly places with Christ.

   C. The best is yet to come! All the past was leading up to a glorious future (the End-Goal), when His exceedingly rich grace will be demonstrated in kindness toward us.

III. "YE, BEING SAVED ONES" (literally).

   A. The idea of the Greek here is literally "ye are the presently saved ones, as a result of something which happened in your past."

   B. This is pure grace on God's part. On man's side, it comes from faith as a principle of life.

        1. Grace and Faith summarize either "side" -- the giver or the recipient.

        2. Grace and faith must be motives; they must act for salvation to be the result.

        3. Grace meets faith in the cross of Christ.

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                                      GRACE
                                            I
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                                            H

            a. God's grace saw Christ die for our sins; his perfect life as a perfect sacrifice for sin. His obedience is sufficient to save us, if we truly believe.

            b. Man's faith sees him come to the cross by the "obedience of faith" and be buried with Christ in baptism, into the death of Christ.

            c. This is not man's work; it is a free gift of God. There is no room or reason for human boasting.

   C. So far as work is concerned:

        1. Man is saved by faith, not works.

        2. The Christian is GOD'S work (handiwork, workmanship). He is a new creation in Christ.

        3. The Christian is then to work.

            a. He was "created" for this purpose.

            b. His life has been pre-prepared in Christ.

            c. He works out of love and gratitude in response to God's grace.

Conclusion

"Ye being dead in sins." "Ye being saved ones." What made the difference? Answer: "God being rich in mercy!"

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