Ephesians 2:1-10

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

• What does it mean to be “dead in transgressions and sins”?
• What is the natural state of man according to Ephesians 1-3?  What does this say about you and me?
• What three aspects of sin do you see in Ephesians 2:1-3?
• What powerful word indicating God’s intervention starts verse 4?
• How were we saved?
• Who is saved?
• What happened when we were saved?
• What did we do to justify salvation?
• What does verse 9 mean?
• Why were we saved? (verse 10)
• What does this mean to you, personally?  Do you know where you stand?

Ephesians 2:11

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision\” (that done in the body by the hands of men)–12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

• What was the state of the Gentiles before Jesus?  What does it mean to be excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the convenants of the promise?  What promise?  (Gen 13:14-18, Gen 17, Heb 11:8-16)
• What is the state of the Gentiles after Jesus?
• What changed? (Romans 5:19)

Ephesians 2:14

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

• What 2 men is Paul talking about here?
• How were the two men divided and hostile before Jesus?
• What did Jesus preach to both men?
• What were the Ephesians before Jesus (19)?  How does this relate to us?
• What is the Holy Spirit doing in us? (18, 22)
• What is the natural condition of the man who does not accept Jesus?
• What is the supernatural condition of the man who does accept Jesus?