Five Eternal Gifts from God - Grace 5

Ephesians 2:1-7 not only says that the sinner, in need of God’s grace, is dead in trespasses and sins but they are/were under condemnation. “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked.” Vs. 2a.

These trespasses and sins were indicative of the way we lived and conducted ourselves prior to salvation. Walked (περιπατέω / peripateō) means the conducting of one’s life. Everyone lives at one time in this condition. Indefinitely!

The Bible elsewhere describes this condition in the following passages:

• But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:21-23, ESV)
• For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:20-23, ESV)

The unconverted sinner in need of God’s grace was also under bondage.  “…following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind,” Vs. 2b-3a.

The deadened sinner is under bondage to the World. “Following the course of this world,” This is a life that is going along with and moving toward a pattern and practice of rebellion against God and His Word. The word “world” refers to the world system which is anti-God. It is a world system which opposes God. It is a world system of ungodly attitudes and rebellious behavior.

The Apostle John wrote, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17, ESV)