Ephesians     Chapter 2

You were “dead” in your sins (trespasses means wrong doing—breaking the law).

When we are living in sin we are under God’s anger for sin. His punishment for sin is death. If we live in sin–the Bible says we are “dead in sin”. The forgiveness of God brings us life.

Paul is telling the Ephesians that before they came to Christ—they were dead in their sins. They lived like the world thinks, like Satan thinks.

Satan is the prince of this world. When Adam obeyed Satan and not God—–Satan began ruling over this world. Satan’s spirit and influence of being disobedient is all over this world. Satan wants us to disobey God. Satan wants us to sin and do things that please our bodies and desires.

Verse 3 All of us have been under that influence. People have lived in a way that pleased sexual desires, selfishness, wanting our own way,

In our bodies and in our minds (thoughts) we have sinned. This is our nature. We have been under God’s anger because of our sin.

Verse 4 -6 God has great mercy and great love for us. While we were “dead” in our sins, Jesus came and He has “quickened” us—made us “alive”. By His grace we are saved. He has raised us up to sit with Christ in heavenly places.

Verse 7 In the future He will show us His great grace and kindness to us.

Verse 8 It is by grace you are saved—through faith–it is not by your own work or “good” life—not by anything that you do.

It is the gift of God.

Verse 9 It is not of works, this way you can not boast and be proud in yourself.

Sometimes people think if they are “good” then God will accept them.

They do not think that God would send a “good” person to hell. “Good” people must go to heaven.

If you break a law one time—you are a “law breaker”. If you lie one time—you are a liar. If you steal one time—you are a thief. Jesus said that if we think about doing sexual things with other people it is a sin. If we hate someone it is sin.

We cannot be “good” enough to be accepted by God. By our natures we sin. It is in us to sin. We need someone to break this power of sin in our lives.

Verse 10 We are His work—He has made us right with Him through what Jesus did on the cross. God wants us to walk in right paths–doing good things. This is what He planned for us long ago.

Verse 11 – 13 Paul is talking to the Ephesians — Remember that you are Gentiles (non-Jew). You did not know the 10 Commandments and the Old Testament laws. You did not know the true God of heaven. You did not know about God’s rule to the Jews that all the male babies were to be circumcised.

The Jewish people called you the “uncircumcised”. They looked down on you because of it. They thought they were special because they knew the true God of heaven and they knew His laws.

The Jewish people may have been circumcised in their bodies, but their hearts were not obedient to God. Their hearts were “uncircumcised”.

God wanted their obedience from their hearts. They may have kept the law outwardly by circumcising their boy babies, but their hearts were not obeying God. They did many sins against God and in their hearts and minds they rebelled against God.

You Gentiles did not know God’s laws so you did not keep His laws.

You sinned, too. You were under God’s death punishment.

You did not have hope of eternal life with God.

But now you believe in Jesus. You belong to Jesus and God. You have been brought into God’s family by the blood Jesus gave on the cross.

Verse 14 Christ has made peace between the Jews and the Gentiles. We are all one family now—we are all children of God. The wall that separated the Jews and Gentiles is gone. Jesus’ death ended the need for us to follow the Old Testament law.

All who believe in Jesus are one family—there is no more “Jews” or “Gentiles” as far as the way God thinks. We are all His children.

He is our peace. He has broken down the wall between the Jews and the Gentiles.

In the King James version this sentence “He is our peace.” is talking about the idea of the peace between the Jew and Gentile when they are believers.

This sentence could have more meaning. Jesus is our peace. There are many things in living everyday that can upset us—make us worried, nervous, angry—but keeping our thoughts on Jesus can be our peace.

Jesus brings peace to us. In the middle of trouble–Jesus can still be our peace.

There was a story about painters/artists who were to draw a picture to show peace. One person drew a picture of a garden of flowers, one person drew a picture of trees and grass showing a quiet place—but the person who won the prize drew a picture of a storm blowing the wind and rain all around–and a bird’s nest with babies under the mother bird –they were safe and had no worries. The wind and rain was all around them but they were safe.

We can be in the middle of a storm in our life—but Jesus can be our peace.

Verse 17 We (Paul and his friends) came and told you about Jesus. You were far away from God. You did not know Him. We Jews knew God.

Verse 18 Through Jesus we (both groups) can come to the Father by the same Holy Spirit.

Verse 19 You Gentiles are not “strangers” anymore. You are not “foreigners” (strangers). You are citizens (members) with the saints (believers) and belong to the household of God.

Verse 20 We are all His “house”—the foundation was made by the disciples and apostles and prophets (Old Testament men who told the future). Jesus is the cornerstone of the building. Each believer is like a stone in the building. We all fit together to make the building—a temple (church). We are the “building” that God’s Spirit now lives in.