THE DEAD MADE ALIVE!
THE DEAD MADE ALIVE!
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. —Ephesians 1:13-14
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, 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, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. —Ephesians 2:1-10
We HEARD the Word of Truth. We BELIEVED in Him. We were SEALED by His Holy Spirit. We are GUARANTEED our inheritance. We will ACQUIRE POSSION of that inheritance guaranteed by His Holy Spirit. These are facts!
How amazing is this? How awesome is this? We were dead in our trespasses and sins as we were following the course of this world. We were following the “prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” —Satan (II Timothy 2:26). We lived for the passions of our flesh and live according to the desires of our flesh and mind. At that time we were “by nature children of wrath.” We were headed for judgment and hell just like the rest of mankind. I unfortunately remember those days all too well— living like I wanted to live and doing what I wanted to do.
But astoundingly God is “rich in mercy” and did not give me what I deserved. He loved me with His great love even when I was dead in my trespasses and sin. When I was in that state He allowed me to hear the gospel (how Jesus died for my sin, took my punishment/judgment, and rose from the grave proving Himself to be the Son of God) and made me alive in Jesus!
Not only did He bring me from death to life, but I will be seated with Jesus and in the ages to come He will show me “immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward” me in Jesus! Wow! This is all by His grace— I did not deserve it, not could I earn it. This is all a “gift of God.” Nobody can boast because this is all of God. We are God’s workmanship— grasp that truth! We were “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” He served me, He saved me, He sealed me and He sends me to serve Him. Why would I not? Out of great gratitude I will. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JK_6osCH74
Yes, Dear Father, My desire is to serve You by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. Oh, may I do so! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiS2QzvDhQc