A1
Our former life—in the flesh Ephesians 2:1-3
B1
Characterized as
C1
Natural
D1
Eve was the first human sinner, but she was deceived.
D2
Adam sinned premediately, willfully, and fully knowledgeable.
E1
The universe was cursed as punishment
F1
This is where death and suffering come from
F2
Adam and Eve were now sinners. They were not perfect. Sin tainted
everything in them and around them.
F3
Since they were sinners, their children were sinners, too. Perfect
children cannot be born from imperfect parents.
E2
In God’s great mercy, a promise was given of a coming redeemer.
C2
Dead
D1
Dead in sins and trespasses.
E1
Sin separates us from God. Isaiah 59:2 WEB but
your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your
sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
E2
Ezekiel 18:20 NRSV The
person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity
of a parent, nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the
righteousness of the righteous shall be his own, and the wickedness
of the wicked shall be his own.
E3
There is hope: Colossians 2:13 WEB You
were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your
flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all
our trespasses.
E4
This hope is the Gospel: Mark 1:14-15 NRSV Now
after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good
news of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and
the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good
news."
D2
Sin causes physical and spiritual death. If one does not repent and
believe the Gospel, they will forever have conscious suffering in the
Lake of Fire.
E1
Romans 5:12 GNB92 Sin
came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with
it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because
everyone has sinned.
E2
Matthew 13:40-42
WEL "Therefore,
as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be in
the end of this age. 41 "The Son of Man will send out his
angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom everything that
causes sin and those who are lawbreakers. 42 "They will throw
them into a furnace of fire; there will be wailing and gnashing of
teeth.
E3
Revelation 20:15 MKJV And
if anyone was not found having been written in the Book of Life, he
was cast into the Lake of Fire.
C3
Children of the devil
D1
What people DO in public AND private show whose child they are: 1
John 3:10 WEB In
this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil.
Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who
doesn’t love his brother.
D2
What people do with truth shows their condition: John 8:44 NKJV You
are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want
to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in
the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he
speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
D3
Example: Acts 13:10 GNB and
said, "You son of the Devil! You are the enemy of everything
that is good. You are full of all kinds of evil tricks, and you
always keep trying to turn the Lord's truths into lies!
C4
Concerned and pursuing the desires of our flesh
C5
Children of God’s anger
A2
Our present life—in the spirit Ephesians 2:4-10
B1
Mercy and love Ephesians 1:1-4
C1
Mercy is not getting what we deserve.
C2
Love is a choice to show kindness, etc. to someone.
C3
God has this character traits and wants people to repent and believe
the Gospel.
B2
His work Ephesians 2:5-7
C1
What a person says and what they do are different way too much, but
the Lord Jesus did what He said.
C2
We humans either experience two deaths and one birth, or we
experience one death and two births.
C3
When the Lord Jesus raised from the dead, He proved that He was the
sinless savior.
C4
Through His death, burial, and resurrection, people can be born
again: Romans 1:2-4 GNB The
Good News was promised long ago by God through his prophets, as
written in the Holy Scriptures. 3 It is about his Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ: as to his humanity, he was born a descendant of David;
4 as to his divine holiness, he was shown with great power to
be the Son of God by being raised from death.
C5
God initiates salvation by opening our mind, heart, and eyes, then we
have a freed will. With this freed will, we can resist or not resist.
If we resist, there is not hope.
C6
Because of His great work, those who believe are positionally in
heaven, our eternal home.
B3
His mercy and grace through faith. It is by grace alone through faith
alone in Messiah Jesus alone. Acts 4:12 GNB Salvation
is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one
else whom God has given who can save us."
B4
Ephesians 2:7-9 is understood by most Calvinists that faith is the
gift. The gift is salvation, not faith. See Adam Clarke’s
commentary on this passage and here.
B5
Ephesians 2:10
C1
God has a purpose, a plan, and a work for us...
C2
...To glorify HIm. This means to acknowledge and show He is the one
and only God and His character traits (communicable).
C3
We glorify God when
D1
We do not sin. Society would be so much better. For example: 1
Thessalonians 4:3 CSB - For
this is God's will, your sanctification: that you keep away from
sexual immorality.
D2
Godly suffering (we will experience God’s grace): 1 Peter 2:21 CSB
- For
you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
D3
To live, showing the Gospel in our lives.
E1
Instead of being this: Galatians 5:19-21 WPNT Now
the works of the flesh are obvious, namely: adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife,
jealousies, fits of anger, selfish ambition, dissentions, factions,
envyings, murders, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like; about
which I am warning you beforehand, as, in fact, I did before, that
those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
E2
We will be this: Galatians 5:22-24 WPNT But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—against such
things there is no law. Further, those who are Christ’s have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
D4
A proof that what we say; we are. Works are NOT necessary for
salvation, but they show in the life of one who is a Christian. James
2:14-20 WPNT What
is the advantage, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does
not have works? That faith can’t save him, can it? If a
brother or sister is actually naked, and is destitute of the daily
food, and someone among you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed
and filled,” but you (pl) do not give them the things needed for
the body, what is the benefit? Thus also that faith, if it does
not have works, is dead, being by itself. (But someone will say: “You
have faith and I have works. Show me your faith by your works and I,
by my works will show you my faith [what he believes].” You believe
that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder!)
But you need to know, you foolish fellow, that faith without
works is dead!
A3
Applications
B1
There needs to be a change in our life when we become Christians. It
increases the longer we are Christians.
B2
We were spiritually dead because we sin, but after believing the
Gospel, we are alive.
B3
It is faith, that is, believing into Messiah Jesus trusting Him for
salvation. We can not earn salvation, because we are not good.
B4
We need to be faithful, thankful, and fruitful from the heart as
Christians.
