Ephesians 2:1-10
It can be very easy to forget the past, and not just because of age. It can be very convenient to forget certain things from our past – whether it be to protect ourselves or to make sense of our lives or our histories. I spent years playing the victim card in my family because so much of my life was affected by my health struggles growing up. Many were faithful to see me through those times, but later, they weren’t interested in the normal parts of my life. It became easy for me to blame and hold a grudge as time allowed me to forget that I wasn’t the easiest person to deal with. In a similar fashion, Paul is trying to remind the Ephesians that although being in God’s family is amazing, there is a danger to forgetting the past.
Power is intoxicating. Even good, healthy spiritual power gained through a life with God’s purpose at the front can be encapsulating, leading us to forget where we came from. At this point, Paul feels it best to gives the readers a gut check: no matter how incredible it is to be in God’s family, there are a few things we need to make sure to remember.
You Didn’t Pull Yourself Up by Your Own Bootstraps
Remembering when we were dead is an uncomfortable experience. Accepting and admitting to behaviors, desires, or attitudes that now seem unthinkable are not pleasurable trips down memory lane, yet it is a necessary practice. Once Paul completes his introductory thoughts and prayers—which includes a full reading of how much God blesses His followers—he immediately pulls back on the reigns and reminds them of their former life as enemies of the cross – servants of the prince of the power of the air.
The world may claim it as freedom, but living without Jesus is slavery. We don’t have power, we are over-powered by addiction – everyone has a bent towards addiction – drugs, alcohol, sex, power, whatever – and if we live for that we do nothing but drive towards that desire. This is why we can’t save ourselves – without help from Christ, we are trapped – all we care about is fulfilling our desire. No one can free themselves – we were completely trapped. Thankfully, verse 4 throws in that BUT.
God Gives Unmerited Favor
For those who have been Christians for a long time—while that is an incredible blessing—it is also a danger in that we can forget where and how far we’ve come. The reality is that no matter how long we’ve been believers, we are still only a small step away from being lost – and that step has nothing to do with us. God, in His infinite kindness, showed us mercy by providing a way out of the sin trap. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, He pulls us out of our prison of death and gives us life – true freedom from sin and at the feet of a Master who seek not our destruction, but our good.
Unfortunately, just like a child of a rich person can become entitled, thinking they deserve the gifts of riches, believers can become entitled as well and think that they are better than others because of how far they’ve come. Paul reminds us that this is not the case – we were dead and God made us alive – how better to describe the term helpless? God did ALL the work. That’s why Jesus went to the “sick” (Luke 5:31-32); they knew they needed God’s help.
Good Works are a Part of Salvation
Last year in France a lottery winner won $217 million and gave almost all of it away because he saw riches as something that should be shared (Newsweek). God wants us to know, without question, that we were helpless and completely reliant on His grace so that we wouldn’t care to hold on to the riches of His grace, but give them away.
This is exactly God’s strategy – we receive His blessings which changes our life as we pour those blessings out on others, which shows His grace towards others and in turn they receive His blessings…and so on. Like Bezalel (Exodus 31), God wants to use you as a viral video for the world to see.
Next Steps
If we forget our past, we forget the importance of passing the blessings along – just like with my family—now I focus on them over myself to show them love. Here is what you can do to live that this week:
- Remember your past – the only one keeping you from destruction is God (not you) – share with a believer what God saved you from.
- Live in God’s grace with humility by sharing His kindness with others – find a person you can be a true friend to in spite of their sinfulness.
- Your salvation (God’s glory) is shown by the good works you do towards others – bless a pre-believer this week.
We need to be a friend to pre-believers, not entitled know-it-alls. We can do that if we keep a close focus on our rescuer.
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