2:1 You were dead through the trespasses and sins
2:2 in 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.
2:3 All 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.
2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which
he loved us
2:5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive
together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--
2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus,
2:7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable
riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not
your own doing; it is the gift of God--
2:9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.
2:10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for
good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
With this text I always have a struggle between verse 6-sitting-which
implies that we are resting in Christ and verse 10 that we are
"Created in Christ Jesus for good works.." Can anyone give me some
help here. Joy in IL
Could it be that with the death and resurrection of Christ, we have
salvation secured, that it is an accomplished act that results in
being seated with Christ in glory? The dying thief is promised,
"Today, you will be with me..." In glory we "sit" with Christ, even
though the tense in past, Paul speaks of a future event. The
grammatical term, I think, is prophetic past. Then Paul refocuses the
reader on what we are to be here and now, created for good works. Just
a thot. Army Chaplain E, Ft Belvoir.
In response to Joy's question re: the contrast between v.6 and v.10:
Perhaps it is that we are saved by grace, a gift from God that isn't
earned (v.8), and in gratitude we respond with good works (v. 10)? MN
Perhaps if we go back to the book of Romans and see how Paul explains
our death to our sinful nature by ouf faith in Jesus Christ, we can
begin to see how all that we now do must be good works for the master.
Remember Jesus said we can do nothing without Him!! Therefore, what we
do through Him must be good. Also Paul said that " God works for the
good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His
purpose". Romans chapters 7-8 will help you with this. oeh
This is the old Grace and Works tension. One is not saved by works,
but by Grace which cannot be purchased or won. Such a rich gift to
ones so poor causes us to go out and reflect the grace we are given
through faith works, acts of love in response to the great love we are
given. James 2:14-26 confronts the same issue. The grace of Christ who
paid our admission into heaven, seems very pleased when we act like we
belong there.
C.D. from Va.
Joy I am a very visual person. This is how I see it.I keep seeing
Jesus setting at the right hand of God interceding for us. Each day we
are here Jesus is being the vine dresser and care taker saying, "Just
one more year Father, Just one more year." The grace of God is shown
in his love and patients through the gift of the Holy Spirit working
in our lives. LPinPA
Joy, I have struggled with this question, too, but it helped me not to
stop reading at the comma. We are created in Christ Jesus for good
works WHICH GOD PREPARED, and likewise in the first part of the verse,
WE ARE WHAT HE HAS MADE US. This says to me that it is no longer a
matter of me striving and trying to do good on my own, but a matter of
me resting in Christ, and letting God work in me and through me. I see
it as a matter of trusting that God who changes my heart will also
change my life.
sharon
Saved By Grace, Through Faith, For Service.
Born of our parents through no work of our own, our relationship grows
in appreciation and love as we hear them call us 'Beloved'. We seek to
model them and respond to their love with our words and deeds of
love,, not to try to make them love us,, but rather, BECAUSE they love
us. Their love becomes our motivation for response.
Since God has done it all, we dare not boast, only celebrate the joy
of our salvation since God has worked faith in our hearts. Hank in
Texas
Great comments from all of you. Sharon, that is especially insightful
that the works are also done in and thru God rather than us. When you
look at it that way, we human beings can do less busy-ness and more of
God's business. Joy
"Alive together." We can't be Christians alone. While the Lenten
season might emphasize personal acts of piety for many people, we
still have to keep in mind that we are a community, not an aggregate
of individuals.
Jay in Alabama
Jay in Alabama... I agree with your comment about the need to be in
community, but I think the "together" here refers to Christ...We are
alive together/with/alongside (and because of) Christ. Check out a few
other translations and see what you think. Again, there's no argument
about being created for and called to be in community...I just don't
think that's the meaning here. We are to be alive just as Christ is
(and because Christ is).
Just my thoughts.
jim in iowa
I'm taking a little different approach to this passage. There will
still be the elements of grace & faith included, but I'm going to
emphasize God's richness in mercy, and title my sermon "Who Wants to
Be a Millionaire." Any comments about this approach? Ken in WV
I have titled my sermon "Lifestyles of the Rich and Faithful", so I'm
taking a similar tact looking at the riches of GOd's mery and the
riches of God's grace.
In regard to being "seated" with Christ, the Greek word for "heavenly
realms" may refer to the beings or things that pertain to God and
dwell with him in heaven, but it may also refer to things that belong
there by nature. That then makes sense because the first part of the
text shows our nature before Christ and this shows our nature after.
The catalyst for change is the riches of God's mercy and grace.
Let me add to my comment (and give my name)
I need a rags to riches illustration, do you know any good ones?
Mike in TX
