The Display of Grace

This passage declares all mankind, without the intervention of God, to be dead in sins. There is a big difference between being sick and being dead. If you are sick and in need of healing, there is hope whether you are a little sick or very sick. If you are dead, however, a doctor cannot help. Regardless of all the doctor’s efforts, you are still dead.

When the Bible says we are dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1), it is saying that according to man’s abilities we are all in an irrecoverable state of sin. All are dead to God, the “good” people and the bad people. There are no degrees of death. There aren’t some people who need a little bit of help, and other people who need a lot of help. Without God’s intervention all are dead, separated from God and righteousness.

This degradation is so profound that the world’s hate, lust, and greed rule the soul, and one lives according to the desires of Satan himself (Ephesians 2:2). Such a state is so opposed to the peace and righteousness of God’s holiness that without God’s intervention all are under the wrath of God forever, and rightly so (Ephesians 2:3). There is no greater and more desperate condition.

After the horror related in verses one to three, inspired truth trumpets for five verses the mercy and love of God. Beginning with verse four the Apostle describes the foundations beneath the statement in verse one, “and you hath he quickened.” Yes, those dead in sin must have a quickening to life, and behold, God does just that for the “blessed” (Ephesians 1:3).

Oh, the glorious intervention! Oh the fabulous change described in the first two words of verse four, “But God.” God comes with radical help and raises many dead in sins to newness of life; He gives them a new heart, a new disposition, and new desires. God does this in His mercy (Ephesians 2:4). Mercy by definition is refraining from giving a recipient what they in sin deserve. God exercises His sovereignty and gives mercy on whom He will have mercy (Romans 9:15). It is emphatically not upon them that seek it, for all are dead in sins (Romans 9:16). All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Yet, in His mercy, God does not give to the “chosen” (Ephesians 1:4) what they deserve.

The Lord sovereignly exercises mercy upon those He loves. This is astounding news, the most spectacular of blessings. God’s love for His own is costly beyond imagination, yet His mercy is rich, and His love is great, and His grace overflows.

Oh sinner, upon the cross Jesus Christ agonized under the wrath of God. With His people’s sins laid upon Him, He suffered in the horror of their putrefaction.  During the loneliness of such singular punishment His need was met with the abject cruelty of rejection. None of us can peer into the darkness of that dreadful scene and understand the horror.

What we are to understand though is that we were quickened together with Christ (vs 5). Oh, the ecstasy of this truth! He bore our sins, our transgressions are paid for, we are not under condemnation (Romans 8:1). Before God, in Christ, we were on that cross, when Christ arose, we arose with Him. We are raised up with Christ into the heavenly places (vs 6). We are as loved as the eternal Son of God (John 17:23). We are joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). What divine contemplations! Yet, at best, we view them through a glass darkly. It will take the ages to come to know the exceeding riches of such grace and to know the kindness of such grace that is ours through Christ Jesus (vs 7).

This is so grand, so glorious, and such a galactic deliverance. Oh, these spiritual blessings are so not of ourselves, so impossible for a sinner to gain, and so not of our works that it would be the height of blasphemy and the greatest of error for anyone to boast they had a part in their own salvation (vs 8-9). God forbid! If you are saved, it is all of God, all of His mercy, all of His love, all of Jesus Christ, and all of the Holy Spirit’s application (Titus 3:5).  It is impossible for anyone to come to God except the Father draws him (Jn 6:44).

Salvation is totally of God. Living a life to the glory of God flows from that salvation and displays the work that God has done in one’s heart. It is the very nature of someone who is saved to display grace. As we have noted, the Apostle Paul states in II Corinthians 9:14, salvation is an exceeding great grace. We cannot adequately describe this grace, but we are to be thankful (II Corinthians 9:15) to Him and live in faithful response to this grace. God’s children are His workmanship and His workmanship alone, but God’s work of salvation is a work that is to be worked out (Philippians 2:12-13). God’s people are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, and the Lord has specifically ordained that His people should walk in good works (Ephesians 2:10).

The grace that enters a person in the new birth is not dormant but is active in teaching the person (Titus 2:11-12). The word teaching means to provide instruction with intent. This should not be surprising to us as the life of any given species provides instructions to such creatures for specific intent. Much more so God’s working in His children’s heart. Given eternal life God’s children become new creatures in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17). This new life is to be lived instead of the sins of the old man (Colossians 3:9-10). Though the new man is greater than the old man (I John 4:4) one must strive according to the working that has mightily worked in them (Colossians 1:29) to bear fruit to God’s glory.

First then, it is the very nature of a child of God to live to God’s glory and to display the grace wrought in their hearts. Those who have been quickened have been created unto good works (Ephesians 2:10). I John 3:9 goes so far as to say that one born again is not able to be completely given over to sin. The grace of God that brings salvation to the soul teaches those saved to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live holy, righteous, and godly lives (Titus 2:12-13).

Second, in the gospel those born again are also given great knowledge and reason to live to the glory of God. Ephesians 2:1-10 specifies God’s grace and mercy, Christ’s resurrection, and heaven’s home among motives for serving our Heavenly Father. Titus 2:13 enjoins upon us to be looking to Christ who gave Himself for us and to the hope of His return as motives to serve our Father.

If Christianity is nothing more than a moral self-improvement exercise it will doom the effort to a superficial change. A fake smile and a forced kindness are not what is required. The end of such behavior is cold-hearted judgmentalism with individuals gaining a self-righteousness by comparing themselves to other sinners. Furthermore, if Christianity is only learning to look composed or outwardly being respectable, it becomes a manufacturer of hypocrites.

The good news is that Jesus came for those broken by sin’s hardness, those captivated by bad habits, and those bruised by a guilty conscience (Luke 4:18). Those deeply convicted of their sin know they cannot keep up the act any longer. In confession to God, they learn the wonderful news that the gospel is not first about getting better but about getting honest. In dropping the mask of pretense before God, one becomes thankful for the work of Christ and a such a great salvation. Oh, how saved sinners rejoice, oh how their hearts swell in desire to bring Him glory by displayed grace and good works!

Casting aside blaming and hiding, and admitting we have contributed to every mess in our lives softens the heart so that the gospel of a blessed Savior finds a sweet and joyous reception. Jesus did not say, “Take up your abilities, strengths, and trophies and follow me...and I will applaud you.” No, as David in his prayer of confession, “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51:17).

The sinner’s service and good works to God are required, but they are not to be grievous (I John 5:3). They are to be motivated by love and thanksgiving to the Savior of souls and not a means of self-adulation. Sure, let us examine our hearts when it comes to our need of growing in good works, but let us remember the root, ability, and joy of behaving better is founded in our believing better (deeply) that we are wretched sinners saved by grace. We deserve absolutely nothing and yet have been given the very Son of God. Law keeping is not to be how we define ourselves. The gospel calls us to rejoice in Christ our Savior and then to serve Him as our Friend.