Ephesians 2:1–10 (NRSV)
Read Ephesians 2:1–10 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 2You were dead through the trespasses and sins Verse 2in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. Verse 3All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else.
Verse 4But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us Verse 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved- Verse 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Verse 7so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Verse 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God- Verse 9not the result of works, so that no one may boast. Verse 10For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
Devotion
It cannot feel very good to start off with the announcement “you were dead”! Yet, as we move through the following verses, we come to see why the people were dead because of their trespasses, and how they have now been redeemed by God’s grace. Ultimately, death is separation from God—a disconnection from our Creator caused by our sin. Thank goodness the story doesn’t end there! Jesus was and is the re-connecter, by God’s grace restoring what has been broken. Even though we were dead, bound together with Christ we have been saved by grace. Grace is the healing balm between death and life. Grace allows us the freedom to know we are going to be okay. Even though we mess things up, God’s work in us by grace is there to create in and for us a new future that fits God’s promises.
Prayer
Gracious God, forgive us when we make mistakes and hurt others. Grace us with all that we need to restore what has been broken. Amen.