Lesson Text: Ephesians 2:1-10 Sunday, March 12, 2017 King James Version (KJV) I. WE WERE ONCE DEAD IN OUR SINS (Ephesians 2:1-3) 1. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. II. WE ARE NOW ALIVE WITH CHRIST (Ephesians 2:4-7) 4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. III. WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH (Ephesians 2:8-10) 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9. Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. New International Version (NIV) I. WE WERE ONCE DEAD IN OUR SINS (Ephesians 2:1-3)
1. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2. in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3. All of us also lived among them at one time,gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. II. WE ARE NOW ALIVE WITH CHRIST (Ephesians 2:4-7) 4. But because of his great love for us,god, who is rich in mercy, 5. made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions it is by grace you have been saved. 6. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7. in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
III. WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH (Ephesians 2:8-10) 8. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God 9. not by works,so that no one can boast. 10. For we are God s handiwork,created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. PRACTICAL POINTS FOR DISCUSSION: 1. The life of an unbeliever is under Satan s control and is without any spiritual growth or personal relationship with the Lord (Ephesians 2:1-3). 2. Because of God s love, we have new lives in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5). 3. The ultimate riches of God s love and mercy will be openly revealed in the eternal state (Ephesians 2:6-7). 4. Our good works or deeds are not the basis for our salvation in Christ; instead, they are the result of our being redeemed (Ephesians 2:8-10).
***The Bible Expositor and Illuminator, Union Gospel Press***