[Note: This is Part 4 of a 10-part series on Ephesians: Living Out Our Identity in Christ.]

Have you ever wondered how you got to where you are spiritually? If you’re a believer in Christ, have you ever stopped to consider the path that brought you from death to life? It’s easy to take salvation for granted, to think of it as something that happened in the past and has little relevance to today. But understanding how we got here—the miracle of grace that saved us—shapes everything about how we live now.

In the previous posts, we’ve seen the spiritual blessings we have in Christ and Paul’s prayer that believers would truly grasp what they possess. Now Paul takes us back to answer an unspoken question: How did we get to this place of blessing? The answer is stunning. We were dead. God made us alive. That’s grace.

The Problem: We Were Dead (2:1-3)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. (Eph. 2:1-3)

Paul begins with the stark reality: “you were dead.” Not sick. Not weak. Not struggling. Dead. This is spiritual death—separation from God, inability to respond to Him, total inability to save ourselves. A corpse can’t improve its condition. A dead person can’t make himself alive. This is our natural state apart from Christ.

Walking in Death

Notice the paradox: “you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked.” How can dead people walk? Paul is describing spiritual death, not physical death. We were alive physically but dead spiritually. We were moving, acting, making choices—but all of it was death. We were walking corpses.

And how did we walk? “Following the course of this world.” The word “course” (aion) can mean “age” or “era.” We were walking according to the pattern of this fallen age, swept along by the values, priorities, and mindset of a world system opposed to God. We thought we were free, but we were just following the crowd over the cliff.

Following the Prince of Darkness

We were also “following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” This is a reference to Satan, the ruler of the demonic realm. Before Christ, we were under his influence, following his lead, doing his will without even realizing it. He is still at work in those who reject Christ—”the sons of disobedience.”

This doesn’t mean unbelievers are always consciously serving Satan. Most don’t believe in him at all. But they’re following his lead nonetheless—living for self, rejecting God’s authority, embracing lies as truth. Satan doesn’t need people to worship him explicitly. He just needs them to ignore God.

Living in the Flesh

Paul includes himself here: “among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind.” Everyone starts in the same place. Jew and Gentile. Moral and immoral. Religious and irreligious. We all lived according to our sinful nature, doing whatever our bodies and minds desired.

The “passions of our flesh” aren’t just sexual sins or physical indulgences. They include pride, greed, anger, self-righteousness—anything that flows from our fallen nature. We were slaves to our desires, thinking we were free but actually in bondage.

Children of Wrath

The conclusion is sobering: “we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” This isn’t just about actions. It’s about nature. We weren’t just doing wrong things. We were wrong at our core. And because of this, we stood under God’s righteous wrath. Not because God is capricious or cruel, but because He is holy and just. Sin must be punished. Rebellion must be dealt with.

This is the human condition apart from Christ. Dead. Following Satan. Enslaved to sin. Under wrath. It’s not a pretty picture, but it’s accurate. And it makes what comes next all the more stunning.

The Solution: God Made Us Alive (2:4-7)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Eph. 2:4-7)

Two of the most beautiful words in all of Scripture: “But God.” Everything changes with those words. We were dead, enslaved, under wrath—but God intervened.

Rich in Mercy

Why did God act? Not because we deserved it or earned it. Not because we were almost good enough. God acted because He is “rich in mercy.” Mercy is not getting what we deserve. We deserved death and judgment. God gave us life and acceptance.

And mercy wasn’t grudging or minimal. God is rich in mercy—abundantly, lavishly merciful. He didn’t give us just enough mercy to barely survive. He poured out mercy in overwhelming measure.

Motivated by Love

The reason behind the mercy? “Because of the great love with which he loved us.” God didn’t save us out of obligation or pity. He saved us because He loved us. And not just any love—great love. Powerful, intense, passionate love.

Notice the timing: “even when we were dead in our trespasses.” God didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up. He didn’t require us to prove we were worth saving. He loved us while we were still dead. While we were still enemies. While we were still under wrath (see Rom. 5:8).

Made Alive with Christ

What did this love and mercy accomplish? “Made us alive together with Christ.” This is the miracle. God didn’t just forgive our sins and leave us as we were. He didn’t just remove the penalty. He gave us new life. He resurrected us spiritually.

And notice: “together with Christ.” Our resurrection is tied to His resurrection. When Christ was raised from the dead, we were raised with Him. This isn’t just metaphor or future hope. Paul says “made us alive” (past tense). It has already happened. If you’re in Christ, you have already been made alive. You are no longer dead.

By Grace You Have Been Saved

Paul interrupts himself to make sure we understand: “by grace you have been saved.” Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. We deserved wrath. We got mercy and love and life. All of it is grace—unearned, undeserved, freely given favor.

The verb tense matters here. “You have been saved” is perfect tense in Greek, indicating a past action with continuing results. You were saved at a point in the past, and you remain saved now. Salvation is not something you’re trying to achieve. It’s something that has already been accomplished.

Raised and Seated with Christ

But God didn’t stop with making us alive. He “raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” This echoes what Paul said about Christ in chapter 1. Christ was raised from the dead and seated at God’s right hand. And we are seated there with Him.

This is positional truth. We’re not physically in heaven yet. But spiritually, we’re already there. We’re united with Christ, and where He is, we are. We have a place of honor and authority in the heavenly realms. This isn’t arrogance. It’s grace.

To Display His Grace Forever

Why did God do all this? “So that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” God’s ultimate purpose in salvation is the display of His grace. Throughout all eternity, all creation will look at the redeemed and marvel at God’s amazing grace.

We are not just beneficiaries of grace. We are living demonstrations of it. God saved us to showcase His grace to the universe. Forever.

The Method: Grace Through Faith (2:8-9)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph. 2:8-9)

Paul now restates and reinforces what he just said. “By grace you have been saved through faith.” Grace is the source. Faith is the means. Salvation originates in God’s grace and is received through faith.

Not Your Own Doing

Paul wants to eliminate any possibility of misunderstanding: “And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” What is “this”? The entire salvation package—grace, faith, everything. It’s all a gift. You didn’t produce your own faith. You didn’t initiate your own salvation. God did it all.

This doesn’t mean we’re passive robots. We do exercise faith. But even our ability to believe is a gift from God. He opens blind eyes. He softens hard hearts. He draws us to Christ (John 6:44). From beginning to end, salvation is God’s work.

Not a Result of Works

Paul drives the point home: “not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” If salvation depended on our works—our moral efforts, religious activities, good deeds—then we could boast. We could take credit. We could compare ourselves to others and feel superior.

But salvation by grace eliminates all boasting. If it’s a gift, we can’t brag about receiving it. All we can do is thank the Giver. This levels the playing field. The vilest sinner and the most moral person are saved the same way—by grace through faith. No one has room to boast.

The Purpose: Created for Good Works (2:10)

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:10)

Here’s the beautiful conclusion. We are not saved by works, but we are saved for works. “For we are his workmanship.” The Greek word is poiema, from which we get “poem.” We are God’s masterpiece, His work of art, His poem. He is the Creator, we are the creation.

Created in Christ Jesus

We were “created in Christ Jesus.” This is new creation language. When we came to Christ, God didn’t just improve the old version of us. He created something entirely new (2 Cor. 5:17). The old self died. The new self was created. This is why Paul can say we were “made alive”—because we are new creations.

For Good Works

Why were we created? “For good works.” God didn’t save us just to forgive us. He saved us to transform us. He saved us so we would bear fruit. Good works don’t save us, but they are the inevitable result of being saved. A living tree produces fruit. A resurrected person produces good works.

Prepared Beforehand

And here’s the remarkable truth: God “prepared beforehand” these good works “that we should walk in them.” Before you were even saved, God had already planned good works for you to do. He has a purpose for your life. He has works prepared specifically for you.

This doesn’t mean your life is scripted with no real choices. It means God has a plan, and as you walk with Him in faith, you’ll naturally step into the works He prepared. You’re not wandering aimlessly. You’re following a path He’s already laid out.

Application Points

Never forget where you came from

It’s easy to forget that you were once dead, enslaved to sin, under God’s wrath. When you forget your past condition, you start to think you deserved God’s grace or earned your salvation. Keep the “before” picture in mind. Let it fuel your gratitude and humble your pride. You were saved not because you were good, but because God is gracious.

Live in the reality of “But God”

When circumstances feel overwhelming, when sin feels too strong, when change seems impossible—remember “But God.” The same God who intervened when you were spiritually dead can intervene in whatever you’re facing now. You serve a God who specializes in resurrection. Nothing is beyond His power to transform.

Reject any form of works-righteousness

If you find yourself thinking you need to earn God’s favor, prove your worth, or work your way into His good graces—stop. You’ve already been saved by grace through faith. There’s nothing left to prove. You’re already accepted, already loved, already seated with Christ in the heavenly places. Live from acceptance, not for acceptance.

Embrace your purpose

You were saved for good works. God has a purpose for your life. He created you in Christ Jesus with specific works in mind. Don’t waste your life on trivialities. Don’t coast spiritually. Ask God to reveal the good works He’s prepared for you, and then walk in them. Your life matters. Your work matters. You are God’s workmanship, created for a purpose.

Let grace produce gratitude and humility

Grace doesn’t lead to laziness or license. True grace produces gratitude—a deep thankfulness that overflows in obedience. It also produces humility—an awareness that you have nothing to boast about. If you’re saved by grace, you can’t look down on others or think yourself superior. You’re just a beggar who found bread and is pointing other beggars to the source.

Reflection

Do you still marvel at the grace that saved you? Have you become so familiar with salvation that you’ve lost the wonder of it? Take time today to remember what God rescued you from—death, enslavement, wrath. Then remember what He brought you into—life, freedom, acceptance. Let that reality shape how you see yourself and how you live. In the next post, we’ll see how this same grace that saved us individually has created something even bigger—a unified family where former enemies become brothers and sisters. The wall of hostility has been torn down, and God is building something new.