Salvation
“ 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.” —Ephesians 2:1-3
The Bad News: We were dead in our sins
(1.) Sin separates us from God
(2.) Sin causes us to be unresponsive to the things of God
The Good News: But God made us alive in Christ (which is miraculous)
“ 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” —Ephesians 2:4-10
The Miracle of Salvation: God’s answer to death is resurrection
(a.) We were dead in our sin, but God made us alive with Christ
(b.) We were enslaved in our sin, but God set us free and raised us to new life in Christ
(c.) We were condemned and deserved wrath because of our sin and rebellion, but we are made right with God through the atoning sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ
“ 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.” —Ephesians 2:4-5
“ 21 But now God has shown us a different way of being made right in his sight — not by obeying the law, but by the way promised in the Scriptures long before. 22 We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins.” —Romans 3:21-22
“ 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but the save the world through him.” —John 3:16-17
Why did God do it?
(a.) Because of his great love for us (Eph. 2:4)
(b.) Because God is rich in mercy (Eph. 2:4)
(c.) Because of his great grace (Eph. 2:4 & 8)
“ 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” —Ephesians 2:10