Ephesians Homework

Ephesians- Ch 2                                                           Anna Chaparro
1.4.08

The second chapter of Ephesians is loaded with scriptures for the believer that is convicted and brings many things into remembrance. Paul first gives us multiple examples of our life before Christ has entered it. It allows us to see our lifestyle and the lost ways of our flesh. We truly did deserve nothing but the wrath of God; we still do in a sense, for it’s only by the grace of God that we don’t have to. Barclay really hones in on the true meaning of sin. It is more than us doing “bad things”; it is us failing to hit the target of life. When we realize what sin is, we see it come to life as an actual aspect of life, and not some theologian term for imperfection. Though we are forgiven and cleansed for our sins, it is always apart of our lives. It kills innocence that may never be returned, it kills ideals of temptation, and it kills the will. Barclay uses a piece from highly proclaimed author Oscar Wilde and his realization of sin in his life. A man that had “it all” in life ended his life in the words “The gods had given me almost everything…Tired of being on heights I deliberately went to the depths in search for new sensation…ceased to be lord over myself. I was no longer captain of my own soul, and did not know it. I allowed pleasure to dominate me. I ended in horrible disgrace” What an incredible paradox we see; that desire is a bad master. Even if your desires are minor, may no one think that through escaping the grosser sins of the body, the sins of the flesh have been avoided. As we go on to see the heart of repentance in 2:4 Paul beautifully reminds us of Who can restore this loss of innocence. Whenever people realize that they have sinned and they are often weighed down by the feeling that they dare not approach God. But we must remember, as Isaiah shared the same acknowledgement with you and me in Isaiah 6:5, we must remember that no matter what we are like, the door is open to the presence of God. How lucky are we to not have to confess to a man who claims the name priest, or get on our knees to climb some steps that are claimed to be “holy”? Jesus tells us to come as we are. The grace of Jesus Christ rekindles the ideals which chronic sin has extinguished. And by that very rekindling, life begins ascending again. As we have our relationship with Christ, He reminds us that we cannot enter the Kingdom with works. It’s so refreshing to know that we don’t have to have a time sheet to turn in when we go to heaven. NO, but instead that our relationship to God, our salvation will naturally produce the urge to love and serve one another. We can never earn God’s love, but we can and must show how thankful we are for it by seeking a life that will bring joy to His heart. He has accepted us as citizens (11-12) in God’s family and he has completely unified all of us. How refreshing is it to know that we do not have to change our ethnicity or origin to have a relationship with Christ? Yes, it’s by the peace and love of God that we have all nations and tongues. It is Jesus’ purpose not that we should turn all people into one nation, but that there should be Christian Indians and Christian Africans whose unity lies in their Christianity. We have an oneness in Christ, and He had provided a home where the Spirit of Christ can dwell and where everyone that truly loves Him can meet in that Spirit (18).
Paul gives so much encouragement in this letter to the Ephesians. It is such a comforting thing to know that we all have a peace in Christ, and that we can all obtain it no matter what wretched state we are in. God is so good as I can’t get over the fact that we deserve His wrath so much, and yet, instead He invites us into His family. That is love; and THAT is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.