Transformed from Sinners to Saints - Reflections from a Study of Ephesians 2:1-10

 

TRANSFORMED FROM SINNERS TO SAINTS: REFLECTIONS FROM A STUDY OF EPHESIANS 2:1-10

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Introduction

Ephesus was an ancient Greek city located in present day Turkey. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians is believed to have been written between 60-62 AD. It was among Paul’s final writings. The Letter does not appear to address any specific issues or questions from the recipients. Paul may have initiated its authorship in keeping with his theological discourse in the school of Tyrannus. It was more of a doctrinal treatise which was perhaps meant to strengthen the spiritual knowledge of the Ephesians. Some scholars consider the Letter as a Pauline writing at its best. It captures Paul’s theological views on critical issues of Christian doctrine including the implication of Christ’s redemption work of the cross on the faith and future of believers. F.F. Bruce describes the Epistle as “the quintessence of Paulinism” while C. H. Dodd identifies it as “the crown of Paulinism”.[1]  William Hendriksen considers the Epistle as “the most authoritative and most consummate compendium of the Christian faith”. [2] These statements are not without merit. They celebrate the rich theology conveyed in the Epistle.

The church of Ephesus was founded during Paul’s second missionary journey recorded in Acts 18:18-28. Paul spent some time engaging the Jews in the synagogue at Ephesus but later founded an independent ministry school known as the school of Tyrannus where he preached the gospel with amazing impact (Acts 19:8-10). During his third missionary journey, Paul was unable to make it to Ephesus. Instead, he summoned the Ephesian elders to the port of Melitus from where he bade them farewell as he headed back to Jerusalem (Acts 20:17-38). Paul never got another opportunity to return to Ephesus. His final correspondence to the Ephesians is conveyed in his Epistle to the Ephesians which he wrote from his prison cell in Rome. The Letter may have been delivered to the Ephesians by Tychicus (cf. Ephesians 6:21-22). Other Epistles authored from Paul’s prison confinement include Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and 2 Timothy. Onesimus the runaway slave whom Paul met in prison is believed to have delivered some of the prison letters to their respective recipients. 2 Timothy is believed to be the last Epistle by Paul which written shortly before his martyrdom in Rome.

Transformed from Sinners to Saints (vv. 1-3)

Ephesians 2:1-3 says, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” (NKJV).

The opening statement in v.1 above is actually a carryover from the previous passage. Paul continues to outline what God had done in Christ and in the lives of believers. In the closing text of Ephesians 1:22-23, Paul extolls the pre-eminence of Christ, saying, “And He [God] put all things under His [Christ’s] feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (NKJV). This is a Christological affirmation of Christ’s exalted reign and his headship over the church that He bought with His sinless blood (Acts 20:28).

Dead in Trespasses and Sins

In Ephesians 2;1-3, Paul outlines what God had done for the believers, here personified by the Ephesian Christian community. God made them alive, transforming them from their pitiable position of sinful depravity to a community of God’s covenant people. Believers were previously dead in their trespasses and sins. They were lost in sinful transgression and were alienated from a holy and righteous God until they received Christ’s atonement which was proclaimed to them through the gospel. The statement in v.2 confirms that Paul’s reference to believers being previously dead in trespasses and sins was an allegorical phrase rather than a literal statement. A literally dead sinner could not again be deemed to have “walked according to the course of this world” or even “conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh”. The Pulpit Commentary rightly suggests that “a kind of life remained sufficient for walking; but not the true, full, normal life.”[3]

Paul further observes that believers were rescued from the dominion of Satan, here described as “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (v.2). Satan is elsewhere described as “the god of this world” who blinds the minds of the disobedient (2 Corinthians 4:4). The status of the believers’ previous life of sinfulness under the kingdom of darkness is illustrated in v.3. They conducted themselves in the lusts of the flesh, and were therefore justly classified as children or wrath until Christ graciously saved them. They were part of sinful men who were deserving of God’s righteous condemnation. Elsewhere in Scripture, some of the imagery employed to describe the sinners’ condition include blindness (2 Cor. 4:3-4) and slavery to sin (Romans 6:7). Sinners are also projected as lovers of darkness (John 3:19-20); sick (Mark 2:17) and lost (Luke 15). That is exactly where we all were before we met Christ. We were not any different from those who are presently trapped in sinful rebellion. They too require to be rescued from their sinful depravity.

Reflection Point: Consider the state of sinfulness from which God delivered you in Christ. Can you think of some of the sinful acts and works of darkness associated with your previous life of disobedience?

The Impact of the Transforming Power of God’s Love and Mercy (vv. 4-8)

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (NKJV).

The conjunction “but” in v.4 is significant to the contrasting position that Paul is about to describe. God, through His immeasurable grace and mercy, did the unthinkable in transforming lost men from their sinful depravity to a covenant relationship with God in Christ Jesus. The statement captured in vv. 6-7 is metaphorical and should be interpreted with this literary context in mind. The transformation of believers in Christ is metaphorically depicted for theological emphasis. The believers are projected as having been raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ. Paul employs these figures of speech to portray the venerable impact of the believer’s transformation in Christ. The statement also mirrors the futuristic transformation and raising of believers to the glorified heavenly life upon the coming of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). The reference to “the ages to come” in v.7 is instructive of this fact. The believer’s citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). The splendour of the believer’s life in the presence of God in heaven is presently incomprehensible to our finite minds. It will be unveiled in its glorious fulness at God’s appointed time. This is where the “exceeding riches of His grace” will unfold in all divine fulness. 1 John 3:2 says “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (NKJV).  This text reveals that our spiritual experience in Christ is twofold – the now and the yet to come. There is a residual manifestation of the splendour of God’s blessing in heaven that awaits those who are in Christ.

Reflection Point: Have you ever taken time consider God’s amazing grace that we have received in Christ Jesus and the future life that awaits us in heaven?

Salvation by Grace Through Faith (vv. 8-10)

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (vv. 8-10, NKJV).

Paul proceeds to illustrate how salvation is received by believers. We learn from this closing section of our passage that we have been saved through faith rather than by any works of righteousness that we did. Salvation is also described as “the gift of God”. It is an unmerited favor that God graciously extended to us while we were yet sinners (cf. Romans 5:8). Dean Alford underscores that it is salvation rather than faith that is the gift of God.[4] It is instructive that a gift must be received by the sinner in a manner that agrees with God’s purposes. The sinner, having heard the gospel proclaimed and having been convicted of sin, must direct his faith towards God by repenting of sin and turning to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, in order to be forgiven his sin and to receive the gift of salvation (John 1:29, 3:16-17; Acts 16:30-31; Romans 10:6-13). This is the sinner’s responsibility marked out in Scripture. Adam Clarke rightly observes that “God never believes for any man, no more than he repents for him; the penitent, through this grace enabling him, believes for himself.”[5]

I must place a theological caveat at this point. Some Christian traditions and soteriological groups have attempted to discount the sinner’s role in the process of salvation at the exigency of vouching for divine sovereignty. They insist that God sovereignly and causatively chooses to save a limited number of sinners and that the sinner has no responsibility or input in the process. My view is that the exercise of faith by the sinner does not amount to earning salvation by works. Faith is God’s ordained method by which the sinner can receive forgiveness and redemption from God (cf. John 3:16-17; Romans 10:6-13). It is also important to observe that God does not forcibly save some sinners while excluding the rest from His saving grace! Salvation is therefore 100% by God’s grace but the sinner must exercise his responsibility in receiving it. David L. Allen aptly posits that the cross itself, unapplied, saves no one and that salvation is effected not only through the death of Christ on the cross but also through the application of the benefits of His death by the Holy Spirit.[6] A sinner who rejects God’s grace therefore stands condemned (John 3:17).

 

 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2024

 

REFERENCES

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[1] F. F. Bruce in The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1984), p. 229.

[2] William Hendriksen, Exposition of Ephesians (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1967), p. 32.

[3] Pulpit Commentary on Ephesians 2:1-10, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/ephesians/2.htm. Accessed 26 August 2024.

[4] Dean Alford, Henry, The Epistles of St. Paul - The Epistle to the Ephesians: The New Testament for English Readers, Volume 2, Part 1 (London: Rivingtons, 1869) cited by David Guzik, Blue Letter Bible, https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/ephesians/ephesians-2.cfm. Accessed 23 August 2024.

[5] Adam Clarke, Clarke's Commentary: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments with a Commentary and Critical Notes, Volume 6 (Romans-Revelation) (New York: Eaton and Mains, 1832).

[6] David. L. Allen, Excerpts from A Biblical, Theological, and Historical Study of the Cross of Christ, B & H Publishing Group, 2019) https://drdavidlallen.com/excerpt-from-my-new-book-on-the-atonement/. Accessed on 27 August 2024.