But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in transgressions.

Paul's letter to the Christians in Ephesus, Chapter 2 verses 4 NIV

A powerful Picture.

(read verses 30-34)

A Sorrowful State.

  1. What was our condition according to this text?
    We were dead in transgressions.
  2. What is meant by being "dead"?
    That we are not capable of responding to God.
  3. Is this meant to be physical death?
    No, it is spiritually death, we are walking dead!
  4. What does this teach us about the word "dead" or "death"?
    It indicates a wrong state of existence, not a state of non-existence.

A Fatal Cause

  1. Why are we in this state of spiritual death?
    Because of our transgressions.
  2. How does verse 1 say this?
    We were dead in our transgressions and sins.
  3. What does this mean?
    That our death is caused by the things we do ourselves.
  4. What things do we do wrong?
    We transgress against God's order (law), we fail in our duties,
    We sin against God and men by wronging them, falling short of God's standard.
  5. How can we summarize our natural state and capabilities?
    We are unable of following after the things of God.

A Great Renewal

  1. What is the only hope for the people described here as dead?
    Being made alive in Christ.
  2. How will a new live help us, if we are not capable of doing the right things?
    We are being made alive in Christ - a whole new order of life.
  3. What makes this live so special?
    Christ during His live on earth perfectly answered to God's standard - He did no sin. At the cross He took the penalty for our sins, He went into death for us. God raised Him from the dead and gave Him a place of blessing in Heaven, a place He now can share with those who are made alive in Him.
  4. What is the bottom line of this live?
    It is a live that daily enjoys the benefit of communication with God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Great Power

  1. How do we receive this live?
    It is God who gives it.
  2. What must we do to receive it?
    What can a dead human do???
  3. Why does God give life to spiritually death humans?
    Because He loves us, and He has mercy on our condition.
  4. How did God prove His love?
    He gave his one and only Son into this world to redeem us.
  5. How then can we take part of this new life?
    By responding in faith to God's love and mercy: it is a free gift to us.
  6. Is this new life a future state?
    No, the Paul says: "God made us alive" indicating that he already enjoyed this new life.

Text Twenty Four

Adapted from:
"The one hundred texts of the society for Irish Church Missions."
T.C. Hammond, Dublin. 1939