{"id":202,"date":"2005-04-27T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2005-04-27T11:30:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2005-04-27T10:33:49","modified_gmt":"2005-04-27T14:33:49","slug":"gods-awesome-plan-of-salvation-ephesians-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biblearchive.com\/blog\/gods-awesome-plan-of-salvation-ephesians-2\/","title":{"rendered":"God’s Awesome Plan of Salvation (Ephesians 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have to make some sort of amends for my post regarding the
\ntinted glasses<\/a> on Ephesians. If anything, the humor sparked some serious
\nconsiderations on Ephesians chapter 2?one of which spurred by my brother in
\nChrist, Doug from Coffeeswirls. Together we embark on a look at Ephesians 2<\/a>,
\nnot to spark debate, but merely in an effort of learning and mutual
\nedification. Perhaps this will count as penance for my humor?mia culpa, mia
\nculpa, mia maxima culpa<\/span>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

So as I approach Ephesians 2 with a magnifying lens, I must
\nremind the reader that this chapter is not written in a void. My commentary
\nwill focus primarily on chapter 2?but please read the rest of the book. <\/p>\n

For, whenever we look at any portion of Scripture we must ask the
\npurpose of its existence. Why is this portion in this part of the letter to the
\nEphesians and not the beginning? Why isn?t it in the letter to Timothy? Are the
\nconcepts portrayed in Ephesians 2 repeated elsewhere in Scripture and if so, in
\nwhat context?<\/p>\n

We must take into consideration that Ephesians 1 primarily
\nhas us looking at the predestination of Sons in Christ with the end goal being
\nboth the praise of God?s glory and the individual personal understanding of
\nbeing beneath that preeminent One. Chapter 3 would have us looking at the
\nrevealed mystery of the unified body and the hoped for comprehension of the
\nunfathomable riches found in the love of Christ. Ephesians 4 puts the truth to
\nthe road having the believer walk worthy of the calling to the very point of
\ngrowing into the full stature of the head. Ephesians 5 would show us how this
\nis carried out in every day living and Ephesians 6 will impress on us how  <\/span>this practical living reaches into the
\nspiritual realm.<\/p>\n

Every bit of this book is saturated with the purpose to work
\nfor the end goal of glory of Christ as we increase in those works and in love
\nfor Him. It is extremely sad (and sobering) when we later see the church at
\nEphesus busy about much work but admonished because she had forgotten her
\nreason for the work?her first love, Jesus Christ (Rev 2:1-7).<\/p>\n

How does Ephesians 2 fit into this picture then? What roles
\ndoes Ephesians 2 play in the development of understanding the depth and breadth
\nof God?s love and simultaneously energize the believer to work for God?s glory
\nout of love? Some like to take the passages here and make it a statement on the
\ninability of man to respond to the Gospel?does this passage speak of inability?\n<\/p>\n

Eph 2:1-3 proves to be the black despair of mankind without
\nGod?s salvation. Calvinists are dead on here. Men are dreadfully sinful,
\nwalking in the course, or path, of this world?according to the prince of the
\npower of the air?this authority that is currently working in the world. We
\nbelievers were also in this dark atmosphere, breathing its air and enjoying it.
\nWe followed after the lusts of our flesh and mind and indulged ourselves. We,
\nlike the rest of the world were children of wrath?that is, worthy of the wrath
\nof God. Here?s your deadness. The fact that men weren?t speaking to God is only
\npart?the aspect that God has every right, and is personally required by His
\nnature to judge them is the overarching Death. <\/p>\n

That?s the black backdrop?not a statement of how God is
\nelecting some and not others. Because God?s mercy is now seen, breaking into
\nthe scene with the brightness of His overwhelming love and He saved these types
\nof people. He then takes these people, who have died but now have been made
\nalive and seated them in the heavenly places with Christ (Eph 2:4-9). <\/p>\n

God?s mercy allows Him to save, His grace is the showering of
\nHis salvation and faith is the means of appropriating this salvation (Eph 2:8).
\nHere the Calvinist might balk and say ?Faith is a gift of God? and the Arminian
\nmay snap back ?Grace is the gift of God.? Both wrong and if they get stuck
\nthere they miss the point of the passage in its entirety.<\/p>\n

Ephesians 2 is dealing specifically with the dire need of
\nman and God?s given salvation from beginning to end. Dead men in sins, made
\nalive in Christ by God?s mercy, seated by God in heavenly places (Eph 2:5-6)
\nwith plans to show the surpassing riches of His grace in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:7).\n<\/p>\n

What?s the gift? God?s salvation is the gift. It is
\ncompletely a gift of God. He didn?t have to save men but out of his mercy He
\nchose to. He didn?t have to show grace but out of His love He moved to. He
\ndidn?t have to make it available through faith, but in His wisdom He designed
\nit to.<\/p>\n

Does this mean that it is not appropriated through faith? Of
\ncourse not, since that?s the very means that God makes salvation available to
\nsinners?the righteous or just shall live by faith (Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17)! Does this make faith a work?
\nBy no means! If faith was a work, God?s promises to Abraham would have been
\nmerited?but they were not, they were given and appropriated by his belief for ?Abraham
\nbelieved God and it was accounted to Him to righteousness? (Romans 4).<\/p>\n

Ephesians 2:10<\/st1:time>
\nnow makes the connection we?re searching for regarding works. We?re not saved
\nby works nor by any action of ourselves (that salvation is solely God?s) but
\nwe?re saved unto good works. As a believer who is growing to the full stature
\nof the Son (Eph 4:13), who is predestined to be conformed to His very image and
\nfor His glory (Eph 1)?we must understand that there is a path of good works
\nthat God has delineated for us to walk in. That?s right, a road of good works
\n(which will consist of trials and hardships and even persecution) prepared
\nbeforehand for the person who is labeled a ?child of God? to grow into the full
\nstature of a ?Son of God?<\/p>\n

Speaking to Gentiles directly now (Eph 2:11-12), who were
\nexcluded from the commonwealth of Israel and were strangers to God?s package of
\npromises, pagans in every sense of the word?these people have been brought
\nnear. That dividing wall which protected Israel and proved to be the enmity
\nagainst all of mankind, has been torn down so that Jew and Gentile could be
\nmade into a new man (speaking of this new unit) and establishing peace between
\nmankind and God (Eph 2:15-17). <\/p>\n

How was this done? Thank God, it was also done by God
\nHimself who has brought us near by the blood of Christ and through His flesh
\n(Eph 2:2:13<\/st1:time>, 15)! Now, we Goyim are
\nno longer strangers but are fellow citizens and are of God?s household with all
\nthe foundations that that entails of the apostles and the prophets and Christ
\nin the corner stone (Eph 2:19,20). Imagine it: a holy and spiritual temple
\nbeing built together for the housing of God (Eph 2:21<\/st1:time>-22).<\/p>\n

This chapter is pivotal to the believer?s development. Our
\nsalvation is wholly God but not to be left in an ivory tower of theology. This
\nsalvation has tremendous practical implications in its very nature, by the fact
\nthat we as believers are being built into a temple like Israel<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region>?s
\nold tabernacle, for the housing of God. Shudder believer and tremble in awe at
\nthe unfathomable riches of His love and His mercy by which He saved us. He
\ndidn?t have to do it; He did it and in His grace and mercy made it available to
\nus through faith.<\/p>\n

-r-<\/span>
If you want a completely well-rounded picture, study Colossians with Ephesians. You may enjoy seeing how Ephesians focuses on the body and Colossians focuses on the head. Also, I’m sure you noticed the connections in Ephesians 2 with Romans 1 – 5…the first movement<\/a> of Paul’s defense of God’s righteousness. Indeed, you might even see some similarities with Romans 6 – 8 as well.
Update: I just read Doug’s post<\/a>. Praise the Lord, looks like we’re (mostly) vibing. Rebecca also has a few posts on Ephesians 2 (part 1<\/a>, part 2<\/a>).
<\/span> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have to make some sort of amends for my post regarding the tinted glasses on Ephesians. If anything, the humor sparked some serious considerations on Ephesians chapter 2?one of which spurred by my brother in Christ, Doug from Coffeeswirls. Together we embark on a look at Ephesians 2, not to spark debate, but merely […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-godhead","category-salvation"],"yoast_head":"\nGod's Awesome Plan of Salvation (Ephesians 2) - Rey Reynoso's Bible Archive<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/biblearchive.com\/blog\/gods-awesome-plan-of-salvation-ephesians-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"God's Awesome Plan of Salvation (Ephesians 2) - Rey Reynoso's Bible Archive\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I have to make some sort of amends for my post regarding the tinted glasses on Ephesians. 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