“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked… 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.”
– Ephesians 2:1-7
I’ve heard it said, and would agree, that two of the biggest words in the Bible, two of the words that carries the most weight, are the words, “but God”. It signifies a major change, a shift in what was to what is now. In this case, the words “but God” signifies God raising us from the dead and making us alive in Him.
Stop right now, and think about this… you and I were DEAD before God. Our willing sin caused our relationship with God to be dead. There was not a slight pulse, a bit of positive color – we were DEAD!
Now here’s the shift… “but God”
Because of His rich mercy and great love toward us, sinners, He made us alive through Jesus. He declared us right through the perfect life, atoning death and victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus lived the perfect life we need to be in relationship with God, and died the punishing death we deserved for our guilt, and rose again victoriously, by His kindness we have been given received by faith his resurrected life, and today live with God and will for all eternity!
Praise be to God for such amazing grace.
Prayer this week: that God would remind us of our once death, but that in His love He made us alive through Jesus alone.
I love you guys. Press on!
forgiveness