Brought from Death to Life
The autumn of 2018 will be remembered as an autumn of great storms – Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Michael, to name just a few. Long after the clean-up of these storms, stories have endured about near misses and heroic rescues. For those whose lives were threatened and spared in these storms, there will be a fresh realization that life is fragile. For those who were rescued from tragedy—even death—by someone who intervened, there will be a deep sense of gratitude and wonder at the miracle they have experienced. In Ephesians 2, Paul wants each one of us who has been rescued by Jesus Christ to hear precisely what has taken place in our lives. He wants us to understand what Jesus has done for us – to comprehend the danger of our predicament and the extent of the rescue that has been achieved.
In Ephesians 1, Paul prays that believers would know God better – and, in particular, that they would know God’s incredibly great power (v. 19). Paul shows how that power raised Christ from the grave and seated him on high. In chapter 2, Paul shows how that very same power has been at work in us in our salvation story. The extent of God’s power in our lives is revealed as Paul lays out for us the story of our rescue—and that story begins with Paul reminding us of our natural condition: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins…” (vv. 1-3).
The Bible’s verdict on fallen humanity is very sobering, and perhaps to some, very surprising: apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead. This is perhaps a surprising verdict since those around us who do not know Christ are, as far as the eye can see, very much alive. Our friends and neighbors may lead active and full lives – with interesting pursuits and rich relationships and busy careers. To call them “dead” seems not only morbid, but positively inaccurate. Those with a medical background will tell us that there are various tests and criteria involved in determining if a person is alive or dead – of determining if a person on life support is still truly alive or is actually brain dead. That can be a complicated matter – but it is nonetheless scientifically and physiologically discernible. But according to the Bible, being “alive” is not simply about having a pulse – it’s not simply about taking in oxygen and having discernible neurological activity. Life is not merely a physical phenomenon – it is a spiritual one. According to the Bible, “Life” is fundamentally about having a vital relationship with the Creator, who is himself the source and sustainer of all life.
Paul wants us to understand that, apart from Christ, each of us was spiritually dead. But Paul quickly pivots to the good news of the Gospel: despite our dire natural condition, God graciously intervenes in our lives to rescue us. As he writes, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions” (vv. 4-5). This is truly an amazing rescue story. If you belong to Christ, your life story is a great miracle story – you’ve been rescued from the darkest situation and given an unimaginably great salvation. The extent of God’s great rescue is astonishing, and it stretches our thinking to the limit in verse 6: “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the eternal realms in Christ Jesus”. We are indeed a privileged people—a truly blessed people—who serve a very great, kind, and generous God. Thanks be to Him!