What does Ephesians 2:1 teach about the spiritual condition of believers before and after salvation?
Ephesians 2:1 says believers were dead in trespasses and sins, and God quickened or made them alive. Salvation comes by grace through faith, not works, as God’s gift. Before salvation they are spiritually dead; afterward they are made alive and are His workmanship.
Les teaches that Paul writes to believers at Ephesus and reminds them they were once dead in trespasses and sins, but God has quickened or made them alive. Les connects this to God’s first law to Adam, “the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die,” and to Ezekiel’s statement that the soul that sinneth shall surely die. Paul then says they were dead in trespasses and sins, but God makes them alive. Coming to Ephesians 2:8-9, Les explains salvation is by grace through faith, and faith is simply believing, nothing else. It is not of yourselves, just as Israel could do nothing to get across the Red Sea; we are hopeless and helpless, but we believe, and God does everything needed. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Les adds that salvation is not just so we can sit down with relief and say we are not going to hell anymore; rather, we are His workmanship.
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
More Questions
What does Ephesians 2:1 say about our condition before salvation?
Ephesians 2:1 pictures the lost person as being dead in trespasses and sins, on the other side of the Red Sea, before God made them alive.
According to Les, what does Ephesians 2:1 mean by saying believers were dead in trespasses and sins?
The whole human race, as far as God is concerned, is dead in trespasses and sins, and so were believers today before they were made alive.