Background Scripture: Acts 19; Ephesians 2; Revelation 2:1-7
Introduction: In this week’s lesson, we see the unsaved person’s life contrasted with the saved person’s life. It teaches that salvation comes by God’s grace through faith and that His grace brings about a wonderful transformation of life.
The marvelous thing about all of this is that it reveals God’s overflowing love.
Dead in Sin (Ephesians 2:1-3):
Living for the Enemy (vv. 1-2). “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Sin is the death of the soul. A man dead in trespasses and sins has no desire for spiritual pleasures.
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” This refers to the behavior which is characteristic of unregenerated people. Such persons do what people are normally expected to do, from motives that are common to all, and invariably governed by selfishness. The course of this world is laid out in harmony with self and selfish desires. “The prince of the power of the air” The character in view here is most assuredly Satan, who is called the “god of this air” in 2 Corinthians 4:4, and who was called “the prince of this world” (John 14:4) by none other than Christ himself.
Ensnared by Selfishness (v. 3). “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the hosts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.” What the apostle Paul says of the Gentile Ephesians before conversion, he says of himself and other Jews, and this he does, partly to show that it was not from ill will, or with a design to upbraid the Gentiles, that he said he did, and partly to beat down the pride of the Jews, who thought themselves better than the sinners of the Gentiles; as well as to magnify the grace of God in the conversion of them both. “In the lusts of our flesh;” by flesh is meant, the corruption of nature, so called, because it is propagated by natural generation; and it is opposed to the Spirit, or principle of grace; and has for its object fleshly things; and discovers itself mostly in the body, and it makes persons carnal or fleshly; and this is called “our,” because it belongs to human nature, and is inherent in it, and inseparable from it in this life: and the “lusts” of it.
Alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4-10):
Loved by God (vv. 4-7). “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.” The Apostle might well expatiate in these two varying forms of speech, both of them intended to express the same -‘rich in mercy’ and ‘great in love.’ For surely a love which takes in account of sin that cannot repel it, so shapes itself into mercy, and departing from the strict line of retribution and justice, is great. And surely a mercy which refuses to be provoked by seventy times seven transgressions in an hour, not to say a day, is rich. That mercy is wider than all humanity, deeper than all sin, was before all rebellion, and will last forever.
Saved by Grace (vv. 8-9). “For by grace are ye saved through faith.” By mere favor. It is not by your Own merit; it is not because of you have any claim. This is a favorite doctrine with Paul, as it is with all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity; “Through faith” – Grace bestowed through faith, or in connection with believing;
“And that not of yourselves” That is, salvation does not proceed from yourselves. We are not partners with God in bringing salvation. We are recipients of this rich gift of God.
References: Barnes’ Notes On The Bible, Matthew Henry Bible Commentary, Elliott’s Commentary for English Readers, KJV 2022-2023 International Sunday School Lessons Commentary