Ephesians 2.1-10 (2)
Pray Psalm 32.1, 2.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
Sing Psalm 32.1, 2.
(Hendon: Take My Life and Let It Be)
Blessed are they whose sins the LORD has forgiven by His Word!
Pure their spirits are within; them He charges with no sin;
them He charges with no sin!
Read Ephesians 2.1-3; meditate on verse 3.
What are the “desires” of the flesh? What desires do we now pursue?
Preparation
1. How did we all previously conduct our lives?
2. Where did we stand with God at that time?
Meditation
Paul shifts from “you” in verse 2 to “we all” and continues the first-person plural through all the verbs in verse 3. We all once lived according to fleshly lusts, seeking whatever we thought was best for us. We all sought only to fulfill the desires of the flesh and the mind—whatever we could think of to gratify our desires. We all were by nature children of wrath—stillborn in our spirits, condemned by our lives, and under the wrath of God (cf. Rom. 1.18-32).
We were just like “the others”, those who are still dead in their trespasses and sins. He says “were”, because becoming a Christian brings dramatic and ongoing change. The desires of our heart change, lining up increasingly with the Law of God, which the Spirit is writing there. The thoughts of our mind begin to be more like Jesus’ thoughts (1 Cor. 2.16). Our values and priorities become more focused on and absorbed into seeking the Kingdom and righteousness of God.
We have changed. And we are changing. We’ve all “been there” where “the others” are, and we are happy to have been redeemed, adopted, accepted, and saved. We’re glad to be able to see Jesus, be filled with Him, and to overflow Him into all the spaces and people of our lives.
We’ve been there, and we must daily make sure that we’re “done with” all that way of life. This we do by daily focusing on Jesus, submitting to His Word, resting in His transforming power, and walking the Jesus path day by day (1 Jn. 2.1-6). There’s no going back to that dead and condemned way of life; and we must nurture and practice love for and patience with those who are still trapped there, dead in their trespasses and sins.
The “sons of disobedience” all around us need to experience the joy and love of God’s adopted children—”we all”, y’all.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.16
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3.23).
And all continue to sin, but not as vigorously and constantly. We know that we have been saved from these sins by the blood of the Lamb, and we no longer want to be a cause of displeasure to God. For our sins, although they affect everyone, are ultimately committed against our righteous and glorious Savior.
“Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight—
that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when Your judge” (Ps. 51.4).
God wants us to be free from the control of sin, and one way we do that is to remember our weakness to sin.
After God gave Moses the original Ten Commandments from stones He had hewn and words He had inscribed, Moses threw them down in frustration against the sinfulness of the people worshipping the golden calf (Ex. 32.19). His reaction was understandable, but not correct. And God’s formative love for Moses couldn’t let that experience pass without a word.
“And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke. So be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself to Me there on the top of the mountain’” (Ex. 34.1, 2).
“Which you broke.” Forgiven, yet reminded, and formed, and taught. “Been there; let’s be done with that.”
“But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6.22, 23).
It is that “fruit to holiness” that God longs to grow in our lives. For indeed, “we all once conducted ourselves” (Eph. 2.3) poorly; but now we are no longer dead in that bad thinking and behavior for we are alive in Him, by Him, through Him, and for Him. “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5.24, 25).
Because we are filled with His Spirit He expects more from us—like He did from Moses.
Those commandments that we found so easy to “break” He gives us the power to overcome.
Yes, we have been there; but no longer are. We are done with that. But we need Him every hour to succeed.
I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord; no tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
I need Thee every hour, stay Thou near by; temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.
I need Thee every hour in joy or pain; Come quickly and abide or life is vain.
I need Thee every hour, most Holy One; O make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son!
I need Thee, O I need Thee; every hour I need Thee; O bless me now, My Savior, I come to Thee!
(Annie S. Hawks, 1872)
Reflection
1. What are you most grateful for that God has done in your life since He saved you?
2. How would you most like for the Lord to change your life going forward?
3. Whom will you encourage today to keep going forward in faith with the Lord?
Paul encourages them by including himself with them. “Among these,” he says, “we all once lived.” All are included. It is not possible to say that anyone is exempted. John Chrysostom (344-407), Homily on Ephesians 2.3
Pray Psalm 32.3-9.
Thank God for the grace of forgiveness. Call on Him to help you practice true repentance and to guide your every step today, that every one may be unto His righteousness.
Sing Psalm 32.3-9.
(Hendon: Take My Life and Let It Be)
When in silence I remained, groaning in my sinful pain,
You Your hand upon me lay; all my strength You drained away,
all my strength You drained away.
I confessed my sin to You; You forgave me, ever true!
Let confession’s pleading sound reach You while You may be found,
reach You while You may be found!
When flood waters threaten me, You my hiding place will be.
O’er them I will rise above, buoyed by Your redeeming love,
buoyed by Your redeeming love.
Teach me, LORD, how I should live; sound instruction ever give.
let me never stubborn be; let Your eye watch over me,
let Your eye watch over me.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we finish our discussion of commerce and begin looking at “grace economics”. Our Read Moore podcast continues readings from the book, Such a Great Salvation. In our Crosfigell series on Brendan of Clonfert, the saint reaches Iceland and wishes he hadn’t. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
