Free Bible Commentary
“Ephesians 2:4-7”
Categories: Ephesians“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, 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 ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
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Four words stand out in today’s “after” portion of the “before and after picture” that Paul painted in Ephesians chapter 2: mercy, love, grace and kindness. God was “rich in mercy” and driven by “great love” when he “made us alive together with Christ.” God looked down in dynamic mercy upon us because we were “dead” in our “trespasses and sins” (verse 1). He loved us so very much “that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
We are saved by grace (verse 5), but not grace alone. We are saved by belief (John 3:16), but not belief alone. The same Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 2:12-13 how and where God made us alive together with Christ. “Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions.”
Once we bury the old person of sin in the grave of baptism and arise to walk in newness of life, we are seated “with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (verse 6). As “reborn,” new creations in Christ, we reign with our Lord Jesus in the heavenly, spiritual realm. This is a reminder that this world is not our home, we’re just a passing through. Our treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.
“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4)
Please read Ephesians 2:8-10 for tomorrow.
Blessings!
- Louie Taylor
