Ephesians 2:1-18
Key Points:
- I was an enemy of God destined for destruction and without hope.
- Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, his shed blood on the cross, I have the grace and mercy of God and am now His friend.
- God has saved me so that my life can bring Him glory by being a witness of God’s abundant grace and mercy through Christ.
Key Themes:
- Before God we were all dead in sin and enemies of God(1-3)
- Because of God’s mercy and love we have the opportunity to experience God’s grace by coming to life through Christ. (4-5)
- Through Christ, his followers share in Jesus glory as a testament to the grace of God shown in His Son. (6-7)
- Every Christ follower is saved through faith in the grace of God and created and saved to bring glory to God. (8-10)
- Paul reminds the Philippians that as Gentiles they and all other Gentiles were excluded from the promise of God’s covenants and without hope. (11-12)
- All people can now have peace with God because of the sacrifice of Jesus which reconciles God with Man. (13-16)
- The good news of Christ is that we have peace with God and commune with God through the Spirit. (17-18)
Reflective Discussion Questions:
- Why does Paul tell the Philippians they were without life?
- How do our trespasses/sin lead to death?
- How does vs 3 describe the behavior of a person walking toward death?
- Who does Paul say is the one who brings the dead to life?
- According to vs 4 what are the reasons why God brought the dead to life?
- What is the relationship between God’s grace, love, and mercy in His interaction with us? Do one of these elements receive more focus than the others?
- How does over-stressing, to the detriment of the others, one of the elements in vs 4 negatively affect our understanding of God’s redemptive plan?
- Why does Paul say we have been seated with Christ in the heavens?
- How does your understanding of why you are alive affect your life priorities in how you: spend your time or choose your career?
- What does Paul say we are saved by in vs 8?
- Whose grace and whose faith is Paul talking about?
- What is faith? What are the evidences of faith placed in God’s grace given through Jesus?
- Why does Paul say no one can boast in their salvation? How do people attempt to boast in their salvation?
- How does the sacrifice and work of Christ affect the way you understand vs 10? What needs to change in your life so that you can walk in the works God prepared for you to do?
- Why would Paul remind the Philippians that they were without hope and excluded from the promises of God?
- How were the Philippians without hope before Christ came? What does citizenship in Israel have to do with having peace with God and being a recipient of the promise?
- How does vs 11-12 affect your view of being a witness of Christ and participating in global missions?
- How does reflecting on who we were before Christ bring God honor?
- How does Paul say we have been brought near to God?
- How does vs 14 affect your perspective on people who are without God? Do you think most people view themselves as being enemies of God apart from Christ?
- How does your understanding of vs 14 add depth to what Paul describes Christ did in vs 15?
- What is the good news of the gospel according to vs 17-18?
- Who is eligible for the peace Jesus Christ brought? (17)
- What habits can you cultivate that will help you follow Christ in proclaiming the good news of peace to the lost in your life?
Individual Challenge:
Write down a specific spiritual discipline you’d like to cultivate in your life and the steps to carry that out. Share your written plan with another believer and ask this person to prayerfully keep you accountable.
