Ephesians 2:19-22

Recently, the terrorist group ISIL has released propaganda footage of themselves blowing up the temple at Palmyra. Ornate stone buildings that were built during the lifetime of the Apostle Paul and had lasted through much of human history were destroyed when radical Islamists strapped bombs to and destroyed it. These buildings may have caved to the pressure of dynamite, but their existence there prior to the destructive work of ISIL was a testament to the incredible work of the Roman engineers who built it. Architecture during the First Century Roman Empire was equal parts art and genius.
I imagine that when Paul is writing to the believers in Asia Minor about a building that is “fitly framed together” he does not have a modern wood and sheetrock home in mind. Rather, based on the language used, Paul is describing a building much like the temple of Herod or other ancient Greco-Roman temples to other gods. These buildings were not just awe-inspiring and breath-taking, they were truly works of master engineering.
Stones would be chosen, measured, cut, and re-measured before being fitted into place in the final structure. All of the dimensions must be just right in order for the building to be structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing. As Paul makes the analogy between the beauty of Roman architecture and what God is accomplishing in the church, he uses a few words that I think we would do well to see.
First, Paul uses a few phrases to describe the construction of this building – “are built,” “fitly framed together,” “ye are builded together.” The language here indicates that there is Someone doing the building. The architect and the construction crew is one and the same. And while the truth of God’s working is not the primary point of this text, or even of these phrases, it is a reality that is never lost on Paul in his writing. He easily could have written using only language that says, “you are all stones in the same building,” but instead, he uses distinctly theologically consistent language to describe the work of God in fitting and building this building together.
Second, Paul describes this building as the “household of God,” and a building that is “together.” The point that Paul had just finished making in the paragraph prior to this one was that the wall of division has been torn down and now in Christ all are joined together in the blessing and peace of God. Here that same thought pervades the entire analogy. There are not separate buildings for Jews and Gentiles, rather all are together blended and forming the building that God Himself builds. This idea of a building speaks of the fluid and natural blending that should occur amongst believers when there is true spiritual unity.
In unity, those who were once enemies have become the very habitation of God. Those who were self-serving and self-seeking had been chosen and used by God to build His building. This thought takes us back to language Paul used earlier in Ephesians 2:10, “for we are His workmanship.” The unity that should exist among brothers and sisters in Christ should reflect this imagery that Paul uses. There should be no quarrel, and there should be no fighting. Rather, as perfectly as a beautiful temple is formed and fashioned by the very hands of God, we should be “fitted” and “built” “together” for our joy and for God’s glory.

Reflect: What other analogies can you see between the church and constructing a building?

Ephesians 2:14-18

I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. – Genesis 12:3

I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him. – Isaiah 57:19

As God called Abraham to leave his homeland and his family and start a new life, God made a promise to Abraham. This was a spectacular promise considering the magnitude of its results. Not only would God bless Abraham, but God would bless the rest of the world through Abraham. There would be no limit to the distance the blessing would reach. There was no people group remote enough to be untouched by the promise that the Omniscient and Omnipotent One had made. The blessing was coming to Abraham, and through him, the rest of the world would be blessed.
In Isaiah, we find a prophecy that God has given regarding the days to come. With a prescient eye, it was clear that the future held a time when there would be peace for all. There was coming a day when those who were “far off” and those that were “near” both could be joined together in peace and unity. There would exist a division for some time, and there would seem to be a wall that separated those who were near from those who were far off. In this prophecy to the Jewish people, it would have been understood that those who were near were Jews, and those who were far off were Gentiles. Now, what may not have been clear to them, however, was how that those who were near and those who were far off would ever be joined together as one.
In Ephesians 2, Paul explains clearly how that is possible. The world-pervading, culture-penetrating promise made to Abraham was that all the families in the earth would be drawn together in blessing. Now, in Christ there is peace and blessing has come to the two groups. Those who were “far off” and those that are “nigh” have received the message of peace. (v.17) There was always a wall, and the tension of ethnicity and culture had always divided, but now in Christ, the distinctions of culture do not separate. What believers have in common supersedes any other difference that may be in them. In the sacrificial, substitutionary death of Jesus, God brought Jews who believed into peace with himself. In the sacrificial, substitutionary death of Jesus, God brought Gentiles who believed into peace with himself. Now, those who are Jewish and at peace with God should find no quarrel with those who are Gentile and at peace with God.
In Christ the divisions have melted. There are no longer distinct bloodlines. As believers we don’t look to our family or national heritage as our defining characteristic. Instead, we look to the blood of Jesus Christ, and the peace that we have with God through Him. Those who would claim Christianity but hang onto any vestige of racism or ethno-centrism fail to see the peace-bringing, wall-demolishing nature of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Galatians 3:28, Paul writes clearly “there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.”
What a great promise God made to Abraham, that through him all the nations would be blessed together. What a delightful prophecy that the day would come when those near and those far off would be able to join. And what a splendid reality that now in Christ, all of this has been fulfilled. Now, we who were far off can rejoice and love, and strive to exist in the unity that Christ has accomplished. May we not ever call “enemy” the one whom God calls “friend.”

Reflect: How do you think that the peace that we have with God should influence the peace and unity we should have with one another? In Ephesians 2:14-18, what brings about this dual-natured peace?

Ephesians 2:11-13

No matter where Paul went in his doctrinal instruction, he would always arrive back at the same point – those who have been given God’s grace were once alienated from God. Beginning verse 11 with “Wherefore remember,” Paul calls the believers at Ephesus to remember the facts of their conversion. The “wherefore” is connecting the previous thought that Paul had explained. Paul had just finished his exciting description of the nature of saving grace. We are saved by grace through faith, and we are God’s workmanship. The God of the Universe has chosen us to be his masterpiece and hand-crafted piece of work. Seeing all of these truths brings a person into a feeling of importance and value.
But before we get away from ourselves with how special we are now, Paul puts our feet back on the ground with “wherefore remember.” We must not just see what we are now, we must never lose sight of what we were. From the beginning of chapter 2, Paul had described us as children of wrath and disobedience. Now, he had told us that God had loved us and cared for us in Christ. But we were not always accepted by God. We may be His workmanship now, but there was a time when we were at enmity with God.
In time past, we were estranged from God. We did not desire to obey His laws or His commands, rather, we lived in the ways that we wanted to, always pleasing ourselves. We were a-theos – without God. We wanted nothing to do with Him. We were content to live our lives in sin, pleasing ourselves and denying Him. But being without God had also left us “having no hope.” There was no lasting joy or surety in our Godless lifestyle. Everything seemed to be pointless and the end of our life looked like the end of our purpose. We must remember this, that before God extended his grace to us, and before He declared us to be His workmanship, we were strangers and aliens living apart from Him.
But Paul can never tell of the bad news without returning to the good news. In verse 13, he begins with, “But now.” Yes, we were alienated and strangers. Yes, we were without God. Yes, we were without hope and purpose. But. Now. We are no longer estranged, alone, or hopeless. We are made “nigh by the blood of Christ.” We get to rejoice in this – Jesus died and accomplished for us what we could never accomplish for ourselves. Paul wasn’t bringing us down to leave us down, he was helping us to see the gap between our undeservedness and the grace of God that was demonstrated in the death of Jesus. “Wherefore remember” the “but now.” All those who are now in Christ were at one point aliens and strangers without hope, but now, we have been brought near to God through Christ.

Reflect: Write out the thought behind “wherefore remember” and “but now” in your own words.

Ephesians 2:10

A sculptor takes a piece of clay and works and molds it with care and purpose. Carving and shaving, he deliberately etches and defines each curve and nook. As he labors intently, the outside world begins to perceive what the sculptor’s mind has envisioned so clearly. Through careful strokes, the shapeless and unrecognizable lump is replaced by an exquisite masterpiece. In the hands of a master, even the most rudimentary form can be transformed and recreated into a work to be admired. The beauty of the finished product relies on one thing – the skill of the artisan. The deftest hands create the most perfect workmanship.
We are God’s workmanship. This is an incredible thought. There is no artisan with more skill than the creator of all things. As we continue our study of Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians, we see that this unparalleled skill is displayed in all who receive God’s grace. God’s grace is a saving grace, but it is also a transforming grace. It is not good enough to perceive God’s grace as simply the thing that saved us from the eternal punishment for our sin and brought us to peace with Him. We must further understand that God’s grace extends beyond our being justified to our being sanctified.
Paul helps us further understand this workmanship of God in his letter to the Philippians when he says that “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it.” (Phil. 1:6) At the point of our conversion, (described here in Ephesians 2 as “for by grace are you saved through faith”) God is at work to transform us into something different from what we already are. Like a sculptor picking a lump of clay, God chooses us to be His workmanship. From the point of regeneration, He uses His Holy Spirit as a shaping and transforming agent in our minds and in our hearts.
In Ezekiel 36:27, the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel tells of the day when God will put His “Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” This prophesied indwelling of the Holy Spirit is accomplished at the moment of regeneration. Jesus himself describes this as a “new birth” while speaking to Nicodemus in John 3. After telling Nicodemus that he must be born again, Jesus goes on to explain that those who have been reborn are the ones who believe on Him.
This is the beginning of the work – regeneration. But the work continues for our whole lives. It is an ongoing work of God whereby he shapes and fashions us to look like something different than we are. In Romans 8:29 we find that God is conforming us “to the image of His Son.” He works to shape us and mold us into conformity with Christ. And all the while that he shapes and fashions us he calls us to challenge one another to “love and good works.” (Heb. 10:24) He is working to transform us, and He desires that we strive to conform ourselves and each other in the process.
So what does this workmanship look like? We are called to good works. Galatians 5 tells us that the Spirit is at work in those who are believers and the evidence of that indwelling Holy Spirit will be seen in their actions and interactions with others and toward God. Do we repent of our sin? If we truly see sin as a violation of God’s holiness, we will. Do we love and care for others? If we truly see love as the desire of a loving and gracious God, we will. Philippians 2:12-13 tells us that as we strive to obey God, He is at work in us to help us obey Him by loving Him and doing what He commands. What a wonderful thing that if we are believers, we are God’s workmanship!

Reflect: Read 1 Corinthians 15:10. How does Paul explain that he is the workmanship of God in this text?

Ephesians 2:8-9

Although the believers in Ephesus had once been children of disobedience under the wrath of God, through Christ, they were now the children of God who would receive the “exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness.” That isn’t just avoiding what is bad, that is receiving the exact opposite of what is due. But how do we receive this? Paul’s argument so far has told us what has happened in us and to us, but we have not yet fully seen how it has happened in us and to us. So what is the how?
First, we must understand the how that Paul has already given: God…has blessed us (Eph. 1:3); He has chosen us (1:4); Having predestinated us (1:5); In whom we have redemption (1:7); He has abounded toward us wisdom and prudence (1:8); and made known unto us the mystery of His will (1:9); In whom we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purposes of him who worketh all things (1:11); he has quickened (2:1); he loved us (2:4); he quickened us together with Christ (2:5); and has raised us up and made us sit in heavenly places (2:6). The first part of the how that Paul explained was that God is at work, accomplishing in us his will. This is the point that Paul reiterates in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are you saved…and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
The second part that Paul wants us to understand is how that we are involved in our receiving God’s grace. Have you ever been to the grocer on a Saturday morning? Walking through the store, you will find strategically placed little tables that are manned by apron-wearing “cooks” of some product being marketed by the age-old, taste-bud-stimulating strategy of “free samples.” This ploy allows the smells to waft through the aisles, while the packaging and display glisten with images of delicious promise. Upon arriving at the “free sample” table, you realize that the small portion on the toothpick will never satisfy your appetite, but you accept the free gift all the same. There available to all patrons are the tasty nuggets of temporary gratification. There are ways that this analogy completely implodes, but the principle is similar. There is a table with delicious rewards for those who come seeking those rewards. Similarly, seeing the riches offered through God’s grace, only a fool would walk the other direction.
For the person that sees the wonderful truth that God extends his saving grace and all the riches that it entails, there is a hope to receive this grace. With far more satisfaction than the morsel on a toothpick can offer, God’s grace comes to those who freely accept it. The words that Paul uses are plentiful: who first trusted (1:12); In whom ye also trusted (1:13); after that ye believed (1:13); us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power (1:19). Now, in Ephesians 2:8, Paul tells the second part of the how, “ye are saved through faith.” In order to receive the free gift of God’s grace, we must come in faith. This is a measure of responsibility that we must accept ourselves.
So then does faith save us? There are two terms that you would do well to learn: instrumental cause and formal cause. Understanding the truth of God’s grace, we must see that we are not ultimately saved by anything in us…that includes our faith. In this sense faith is not meritorious. This means that just like works don’t earn us God’s favor, neither does our faith. In this sense, we are saved “by faith,” as an instrumental cause (it is the instrument through which God in His wisdom has chosen to extend his grace, but not the cause of His grace). So what is the formal cause for God extending his grace to those who believe? Jesus Christ. Our faith is not what saves us, it is the meritorious work of Jesus. In a sense, our salvation is by works, the works of Jesus. His sacrifice is the cause for our salvation, and we must come to Him in faith to receive that gift.

Reflect: What are the two parts that Paul gives regarding the how of our salvation? Use scripture to make your point.

Ephesians 2:4-7

“And you were dead in trespasses and sins…But God is rich in mercy.” This is the great disparity between us and Him. We are lifeless corpses, but he is the life-giving, merciful One. After explaining the desperate condition that all of humanity is in, Paul continued his letter by revealing the remedy for that predicament. In response to all of mankind being the children of disobedience and ultimately the children of God’s wrath, Paul explained that the believers in Ephesus were also objects of God’s love and mercy. In this statement, Paul established a key fact about salvation – it is not because of us that we were saved. In God’s economy of things, we were dead and depraved, but he loved us. There was nothing in us that would cause him to love us, therefore his love for us only came because of something in him.
Now, instead of being lifeless corpses, we have been raised to life by God’s love and mercy. And if all we received was spiritual life, we could continue the rest of eternity in wonder and awe at the kindness and grace of God to undeserving people. But God does not just bring us back to life, and leave us in the graveyard. In his raising us up and giving us new life, he secured an eternal place for us with Christ. No longer is the cemetery our home, rather, we have a new home in heaven. Now, instead of being the resident of a graveyard, we are citizens of heaven with the promise of God’s blessings and exceeding riches of God’s goodness.
What a change! We were dead and hopeless, but now we have been given life and hope. We could not help ourselves, but he came and helped us. We had nothing, but he gave us everything. In verse 7 we see the extravagance of God’s grace. Not only does he bring us to life and offer us riches, but according to verse 7, he gives us “exceeding” riches of his grace. This incredible pouring out of his kindness on us is undeserved, unmerited, and a token of God’s kindness towards us. Now, instead of being “children of disobedience” we have been brought to life so that we can be “children of obedience” who love God and do what He commands.
Instead of being “children of wrath,” we are now “children of grace” having been forgiven of our sins and had the eternal punishment replaced by eternal blessing. Instead of enemies, we are family. Through Christ, we have been given life and hope. By God’s grace, and love, and mercy, and kindness, we have received an unimaginable gift. Now, let us walk as children of grace, and war against the sin that still exists in our bodies. Let us strive to conquer the dead works of our flesh, and live in obedience to the Holy Spirit of God.

Reflect: According to Ephesians 2:4-7, how were we brought to life? Why do you think it is important to understand that we did not bring ourselves to life?

Ephesians 2:1-3

Seeing a dead body is incredibly bothersome. Even at a funeral, if it is an open casket funeral, there is something that is unnerving about seeing the recently deceased body in the coffin. Bodies were made by God living, and they were never meant to die. And although death seems natural to us, before sin, in God’s original design, there was no death. This was not meant to be, and perhaps the eerie feeling that we get at seeing a dead body is because something in us realizes this was never meant to be. But although seeing a dead body is unnatural, there is one thing that is more disturbing than a lifeless corpse.
When we read Ephesians 2:1-3, Paul tells us of a different type of death. The body is temporary, and when it dies, it returns to dust. But here in verse 1, Paul writes about a much worse type of death – a spiritual death. Just as the death of our physical bodies is unnatural, the death of our spirits is also not the way that God originally designed it. It was only because of Adam’s sin that God punished Adam with spiritual death. Now, every human being is born into a body that is alive with a spirit that is dead and separated from God. And this spiritual death should be as eerie as and more so than seeing a lifeless corpse.
The difference between physical and spiritual death is most clearly seen in the consequences of these deaths. The result of physical death is the corruption of our bodies. No longer do we have skin and bones, instead, our bodies decompose and return to dirt. However, the result of spiritual death is separation from God. This is not a thing that happens in a moment, but rather it is a thing that goes on and on forever. Physical death is something that happens at one point when you die, but spiritual death is something that you must experience throughout all eternity. The consequences of spiritual death are far graver than those of physical death.
Describing the tragedy of those who are spiritually dead, Paul explains that the believers in Ephesus were formerly those who were dead spiritually. Those who are alive physically but dead spiritually exhibit this spiritual death in their lifestyle (v.3, the King James translates it as “conversation”). This spiritual death is seen in those who live in “disobedience” to God so much that they inherit the title “children of disobedience.” This is spiritual death – a heart that cannot obey God, but is bound to doing the dead works of sin. This spiritual death is exhibited in sinful lusts and desires of the mind and heart, both thought of and acted out.
And as I said before, seeing someone who is spiritually dead is even more disturbing than seeing someone who is physically dead. Why? In verse 3, Paul says that those who are spiritually dead are going to face the wrath of God. Just as much as their disobedience to God is so characteristic of their life that they were called the “children of disobedience,” here we see that they are so defined by the destruction that they are going to receive because of their spiritual death that they are called “children of wrath.” While seeing someone who is physically dead may be disturbing, seeing someone who is spiritually dead should be horrifying, because those who are spiritually dead will face the eternally unbearable punishment of God.

Reflect: Why is spiritual death worse than physical death?