His Work, Our Walk
Bible Study on Ephesians 2:1–10
From Death to Life, from Grace to Purpose
Ephesians 2:1–10 is one of the most concise and powerful summaries of the Christian gospel. In ten verses, Paul moves from the depths of human sin to the heights of God’s grace, ending with the call to walk in the good works God has prepared. This passage is not only theological; it is deeply pastoral. It reminds us where we came from, what God has done, and who we are now called to be.
1. Remembering Our Past: Dead in Sin (vv. 1–3)
Paul opens Ephesians 2 not with encouragement, but with spiritual realism: “You were dead in your transgressions and sins” (v. 1). This diagnosis is foundational to understanding the gospel. Paul is not saying we were morally confused or spiritually weak; he is saying we were utterly lifeless in relation to God. Dead people cannot revive themselves. Our condition was helpless, and our only hope lay in divine intervention. As Matthew Henry writes, “The conversion of a soul is a resurrection from the dead. None can quicken the soul but God.” This honest remembrance of our spiritual state is not to induce despair, but to stir gratitude. Only by remembering the pit from which we were lifted can we begin to comprehend the height of God’s mercy.
In verse 2, Paul identifies the first two forces of this spiritual death—the world and the devil. We “followed the ways of this world,” Paul writes, describing the cultural pressures and godless systems that normalize sin and suppress truth. J.B. Phillips translates this vividly: “You drifted along on the stream of this world’s ideas of living.” Like debris in a current, we were swept along by the prevailing ideologies and moral compromises of our age. Then Paul adds, “you followed the ruler of the kingdom of the air”—a reference to Satan, whom Jesus called the “father of lies” (John 8:44). The devil is not a myth but a malevolent reality, orchestrating rebellion against God in unseen realms. As William Barclay explains, “Paul saw the power of evil as a personal force… a malignant intelligence working to seduce and destroy.” Though Satan’s reign is temporary and limited, his influence is pervasive. The spiritual warfare we face is real—and apart from Christ, we had no defense.
Finally, Paul addresses the third force, the flesh, the internal enemy within: “All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh” (v. 3). This is not merely about physical desires but the deep self-centered orientation of a life without God. We weren’t just victims of external forces; we were complicit, delighting in what dishonors God. J.B. Phillips puts it plainly: “We all lived like that in the past, and followed the impulses and imaginations of our evil nature.” The result? “We were by nature deserving of wrath.” No one is exempt. Barclay writes, “There is no room for human pride. The whole world lies under sin.” On the surface, people may appear decent, moral, even admirable—but on God’s absolute scale of holiness, all fall short (Romans 3:10–12). Recognizing this universal condition doesn’t crush our hope—it magnifies our need for grace. Before Paul speaks the healing words But God, he makes sure we know just how desperate our need was. And that is why the gospel is not just good advice—it is good news.
2. The Greatest Turning Point: But God (vv. 4–5)
After laying bare the hopelessness of our former condition, Paul shifts with two of the most powerful words in Scripture: But God. These words signal divine interruption—God’s mercy breaking into human misery. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ…” (vv. 4–5). We were rebels deserving wrath, enslaved to sin, and spiritually lifeless—but God did not leave us there. His intervention was not motivated by our goodness, but by His own. It was not our repentance that stirred His love—it was His love that made our repentance possible. The miracle of grace is not that God loved us when we were lovable, but that He loved us when we were dead in sin. As one commentator put it, “The only thing we contributed to our salvation was the sin that made it necessary.”
Eugene Peterson captures the wonder of this grace in The Message: “Instead of pouring out anger, God took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ.” This new life is not a metaphor but a spiritual reality. Just as Christ was raised from the dead, so we too have been made alive with Him. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the grave now lives in us (Romans 8:11). We are no longer defined by guilt, failure, or bondage, but by grace. As Paul declares in Galatians 2:20, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” This means sin no longer has the final word. We are not who we once were. We have been remade by mercy, raised by love, and sustained by the life of Christ within us. Grace doesn’t just forgive—it resurrects.
3. Seated with Christ: A New Position (v. 6)
Paul continues unfolding the astonishing grace of God by declaring, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” This is not merely a promise about our future in heaven—it’s a declaration of our present spiritual reality. Because we are united with Christ, His resurrection becomes our resurrection, and His exaltation becomes our exaltation. We are not groveling toward God’s acceptance; we are already seated with Christ in the place of honor and authority. This truth transforms how we see ourselves. Our identity is no longer defined by shame, failure, or sin, but by our position in Christ. We live not from a place of defeat, but from a posture of victory.
Alexander Maclaren captures this beautifully when he writes, “He who is joined to Christ is already enthroned with Him. Heaven is not merely a future destiny—it is a present possession.” Though our bodies remain on earth, our spiritual standing is secure in the heavenly realm. This means we are called to live now as citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20), empowered by the Spirit to walk in holiness, purpose, and hope. Eugene Peterson paraphrases the idea in The Message: “He picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus.” This heavenly citizenship shapes our mindset and conduct—it lifts our eyes above earthly struggles and reorients our hearts to eternal realities. To be seated with Christ is to share in His peace, authority, and perspective even now.
4. Grace Alone: No Boasting (vv. 8–9)
Paul leaves no room for confusion about the source of salvation: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Grace is unearned, undeserved, and completely initiated by God. Even the faith by which we receive salvation is not a human accomplishment—it is a gift. This truth strikes at the root of all pride. Salvation is not a transaction; it is a miracle of mercy. As Paul reminds Titus, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:5). When someone gives you a gift, you don’t respond with repayment—you respond with gratitude. The only fitting response to the gift of grace is joyful thanks and surrendered trust.
Matthew Henry reflects, “The grace that saves us does not leave us as we are. It humbles, transforms, and points us upward.” Grace does not merely forgive—it reshapes us. As William Barclay puts it, “Faith is not the product of man’s effort—it is the opening of the heart to the gift of God.” Once grace is received, it awakens a new desire to live for God, not as a way of earning love, but as a grateful response to love already given. There is no room for boasting—no spiritual resumes or moral ladders. Grace levels the playing field and elevates the humble. In a world obsessed with achievement, the gospel reminds us that the most important thing about us is not what we’ve done for God, but what God has done for us in Christ.
5. Masterpieces on Mission (v. 10)
Paul concludes this section with a glorious affirmation of purpose: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” The Greek word poiēma, translated “handiwork,” evokes the image of a carefully crafted masterpiece—a work of art, a divine poem. We are not random accidents rescued from destruction; we are intentional creations, shaped by the loving hands of God. Salvation is not the end of the story, but the beginning of a new one. We are not only saved from something, but saved for something—to reflect the beauty and character of Christ through lives of goodness and grace.
Eugene Peterson paraphrases it this way in The Message: “God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the good work He has gotten ready for us to do.” These “good works” are not tasks we invent to impress God, but paths He has already laid out—custom-fit assignments that align with our redeemed identity. We are not saved by good works, but we are certainly saved unto them. The life of the believer is one of grateful response—living lives marked by compassion, justice, humility, and love. To be God’s masterpiece means we carry His fingerprints into the world, bearing witness through both word and deed to the One who made us new. As His living poetry, we are called to walk boldly in the good He has prepared, not to earn His favor, but to echo His grace.
Conclusion: The Journey from Grace to Goodness
Ephesians 2:1–10 tells the whole gospel story in miniature:
- We were dead (vv. 1–3)
- God intervened (vv. 4–7)
- We are saved by grace (vv. 8–9)
- And we are sent for good works (v. 10)
As we reflect on what Christ has done for us, let our gratitude overflow into compassion for others. If God loved us when we were dead in sin, how can we withhold love from others who are still on their way to grace?
Reflection Questions
- Do I still try to earn God’s favor through performance?
- How does remembering my past without Christ deepen my gratitude today?
- What “good works” has God prepared for me to walk in this week?
Closing Prayer
Father, we thank You that though we were dead in our sins, You made us alive in Christ. Not because of who we were, but because of who You are—rich in mercy, abounding in love. Help us now to walk in the good works You’ve prepared for us, not to earn Your love, but to reflect it. Let our lives become the poetry of Your grace. Amen.
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