Ephesians 2:3 - 12: God’s Love, Grace and Life Giving Power Seats Believers in the Heavenlies in Christ:

In our last study we examined the two verses: “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Ephesians 2:2 - 32 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

. These verses paint a dire description of all who have not come to believe the Gospel of The Grace Of God as revealed to the Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:1 - 41 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

; Ephesians 2:8 - 98 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

; Ephesians 3:1 - 121 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

. Ephesians 2:2 - 3 describes the vast majority of humanity; the approximately 2 billion Muslins, 1.17 billion Hindus, 500,000+ million Buddhists and all other cults. Only God knows how many individuals practicing the Roman and other Catholic faiths as well as the various Christin denominations are really saved. Many are christian in name only.

“But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” Ephesians 2:4 - 64 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

. These 3 verses teach that the believer’s salvation is all of and by God’s Power. It begins “But God” to emphasize God stepped in and acted. God accomplished it all and all any individual has to do be saved is believe from the heart they are lost, hopeless sinners; that God sent His Son to die for their sins; that Christ died, was buried, that He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Upon believing, individuals are immediately resurrected with Christ and seated with Him in the Heavenlies. All such, regardless of church affiliation are Members of Christ’s Body until, as the old hymn goes, when “time will be no more” when believers, whether dead or alive, are raptured up to heaven.

Next we read the reason God made believers alive in Christ, saved from sin and raised up together to sit in the Heavenlies in Christ Jesus: “That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:77 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

. Amazing Grace indeed; true believers are trophies of God’s Grace through Christ Jesus and will be for all eternity.

God’s methodology recapped: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8 - 9. Salvation is God’s doing; His gift of Grace, all believers do is believe, i.e., have faith, which is not a work of the flesh.

The only work accomplished by the believers is what God does through them: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained (fit up in advance or prepared before) that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:1010 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

. Amazing, it was before the believer is born, therefore obviously before he/she comes to believe the Gospel that God prepared his/her work in life.

Before The Lord Jesus Christ revealed The Gospel of Grace to the Apostle Paul, Acts 20:2424 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

about 2000 years ago, most of humanity, i.e., Gentiles, had absolutely no access to God’s salvation without becoming a proselyte to Israel as a Jew and following the Law of Moses: “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” Ephesians 2:11 - 1211 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

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But for the past almost 2000 years, Gentiles have had a chance for salvation as we will see as we continue in Ephesians in our next study.