What condition were we in when God made us alive with Christ?

Les teaches that the text describes our condition before God made us alive: the spirit works in the children of disobedience, and 'we all' had our manner of living in times past in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as others. We were dead, hopeless, helpless. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love, quickened us together with Christ. Les illustrates this with Israel at the Red Sea: they were locked in, nothing they could do, but God opened the sea. We walk through on dry ground, not by anything we have done or deserve, but because of what Christ has done. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; plus anything else? No.