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| Chapter 2 |
| Bible Text | Notes and thoughts |
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1 ¶ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 ¶ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 11 ¶ Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 ¶ For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. |
v1-10 From death to life, God’s Grace. We all were born with a bad nature so could not have friendship or contact with God, being cut off from God means death. But God’s plan through Jesus has allowed us to be part of God and His plan. The following Bible passages show us our past,today and the future. v1-3 Our Past. v1,2 You who were dead in sins a life away from God. Living under the power of Satan and the world. We are children who have disobeyed God so now we had total separation from God. v3 Our manner or behaviour in life, "flesh" referring to our old nature. "Desires" showing sins of the mind. We can think and do wrong. Under this condition we were under God’s anger and judgement, Rom 1:18; John 3:36; Heb 10:26,27. v4-6 What we are now. How sad and frightening are the previous verses, no future but God’s anger. "But God," He has stepped in to solve the problem, "rich in mercy." No limit to God’s love for us, without anything from us. "quickened us together with Christ" God has made us alive with Christ, as he was raised from the dead so are we. Not only that but God has raised us up to sit with Jesus in heaven. We are part of the finished work of Christ. It is of interest that the words used are all in the past tense, we are already potentially in heaven. v7-10 The future. v7 God has made us redeemed sinners an eternal object of His grace, Titus 2:14. v8 God’s grace is the source of our salvation, (note it is in the past again,"you have been saved"). "Through faith," the channel, faith is not the cause, just the way salvation comes. Not by any power or ability of us, but only as a Gift of God, Rom 6:23. v8,9 The Holy Spirit, throughout the Bible, guards the fact that salvation is not by anything we can do, "not works," there will be no boasting in heaven because we do not deserve God’s gift of salvation, Rom 6:23; 1 Cor 1:29-31. v10 It is the point that this new creation walk according to God’s will, in contrast to v2. v11-22 Broken Barriers, all one in Christ. These verses show a very dark position for Gentiles before the coming of Christ, no access to God at all. v11-13 "in time past Gentiles" in the eye’s of man they were still Gentiles, but to God all had become equal once they had accepted Jesus as Saviour, 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:28; Col 3:11. v13 "But now." There is a change from before when we were in the world,(v12) but now we are all one Body through His blood. v14,18. Paul now describes the various states and facts which go with this. "Peace, made one, broken partition, abolished enmity, make a new man, peace, reconcile to God, through Cross, access to God through Spirit." Note v18. Both have access. v14 Peace in Christ, peace with each other, Jew and Gentile,Gal 3:28. The partition is best understood as the Law of Moses, this kept Gentiles away from God, Matt 5:17; Gal 3:10-13; Rom 8:3. v15 "One" man replaces "two." Now at peace. v19-22 The Church as a building. v19 No more strangers, now part of the family of God. v20 The house of God, built upon apostles and prophets, with Jesus the corner stone, the "starting, most important stone.," 1 Peter 2:5; Matt 16:18; 1 Cor 3:11. v21 Each of us, being part of that building, fit together to make the temple of the Lord, 1 Cor 3:16. v22 The place where God lives through His Spirit. In You!!! |
Easy English Translation
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