Encountering the Mysteries of God (Part 3)

Paul begins Chapter two by outlining a contrast between the hopeless condition of the nonbeliever compared to the new glorified position believers have because God pours out his grace on Christians through his saving initiative. The Christians hope is in God's free gift of salvation through the working out of God's grace. Paul explains,

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

1) God Fervently Pursues Messed Up People!
Paul emphasizes in this section how God helps the helpless! Even more, He helps His enemies who have transgressed his holy law. He pursues the ones who hate Him and offers His enemies the gift of reconciliation. Bottom line, God fervently pursues messed up people! Thankfully we all fall into this category, so we all have the opportunity to experience a relentless love that isn't based on our goodness or faithfulness, but on His relentless, unmerited, unearned, undeserved Grace.

2) We All Were Once Lost.
Paul says we walked like the rest of mankind– following the course of the world. Here it seems like we were just going with the flow, not interested in a better path or way of life, just following whatever and whoever was leading– almost like blindly just being...dead.

3) God Does All The Work.
But then he makes it clear (v.4) that because of God's mercy, love, and grace– instead of being dead in those things, we are actually made alive in Jesus. We are saved by God's grace through the gift of faith– to believe in Jesus as Savior. All this is God's doing, God's working, and God's gift of grace.
This text has nothing to do with our works– it all begins and ends by God's providence to offer salvation based on His election, plan, and purpose. It seems very disrespectful to believe that we have anything to do with salvation, because Paul here clearly explains that it's all about God and through God.

Final Thoughts– Continue to trust God for everything, through the gift of faith. Don't try to do or accomplish anything except what God leads you to do, say, and accomplish– let Him be Lord! He gives us the faith to believe, offers us grace through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and sends the Holy Spirit to work in and through us sanctification. It's all about God, has been and will be, be sure we don't ever lose that truth, because the minute we do, we make it about us and what we are going to do for Him.