Believers—God’s Masterpiece

Bible Passage:  Ephesians 2:1-10

I. Paul contrasts his readers’ pre-Christian past with their Christian-present (2:1-10)

1. Before they became believers, the status of Paul’s readers was characterized by three things (2:1-3)

(a) Dead (figurative)—alienated from God or affected by evil and thereby they did not have fellowship with God (verse 1, 3)
(b) Completely under the influence of Satan—“world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (verse 2)
(b1) Satan is the personal antagonist of God’s creation and God Himself (Markus Barth)
(b2) At salvation, the power of Satan is broken, but he continues to usurp his authority on believers and tries to deviate them away from God
(b3) In other words, at salvation power and bondage of sin is broken, but its influence continues to be at work (cf. 6:10-18)—disobedience and disbelief in the Gospel
(b4) Note the expression “ruler of this world” (one day he is going to be overthrown)
(b5) Believers certainly in his crosshair
– Gratifying the cravings of the flesh (verse 3)
– Following the desires of the flesh and its thoughts (verse 3)
(c) Objects of God’s anger (verse 3)

2. God has changed the status of the believers through Jesus (non-Jews and Jews alike) (4-8)

(a) Made alive (antonym for death)—to make live together for a new moral life
(a1) Being brought back to fellowship with God
(a2) Figuratively, spiritual resurrection from the dead
(a3) Through which believers are able to fellowship with God through Jesus
(b) Seated the believers with Christ (verse 5) (figurative language)
(b1) It is a sphere/realm
(b2) It is where honor, power, authority, sonship, etc., attributed
(b3) It is the realm where God demonstrates His glory, power, and authority
(c) This position of being raised and be seated is not attained by an individual’s decision, but God gave to individuals graciously (verse 8-9)

3. God creates believers new in Jesus (both Jews and non-Jews) (verses 9-10)

(a) God’s workmanship, a piece of art
(b) God’s workmanship cannot be achieved by works that are good (attributive adjective)—works that are morally and beneficially good for us and for those who are around us, and for God
(c) It is a result of God’s work in believers
(d) “Walk in them” is a contrast between pre-Christian and present-Christian life (If this does not happen, one needs to check their claim of salvation)

Take Away

1. You are God’s workmanship

2. Operate on your new identity