izing he is a sinner, and accepting by faith God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. This is the theme of the Bible, as well as the passage for our consideration in Ephesians 2. The Lord has a tre mendous future in store for the be liever. He has redeemed us not only to satisfy His love, but also, in the future ages to put on exhibition that which grace has wrought (v. 7). Beginning with verse 10, we find God's divine method. The word “workmanship” represents “a mas terpiece." This would be impossible apart from the Saviour! There is no self-reform or moral uplift involved at all. As converted men and women, we have the spiritual possibility of living a surrendered, victorious and triumphant Christian life. Remem ber you cannot be a Christian unless you have been born again. God has to impart new life through faith. The New York Times reported that a man recently returned to his home in Wales after having lived in Manhattan for 34 years. He had come to the United States to find employment. In due time his letters to the family in Wales stopped. After seven years, he was declared legally dead. His wife remarried. When he went back to his home land, he discovered he had thirteen grandchildren and eleven g re a t grandchildren. Thus, a dead man re turned home legally dead, but very much physically alive. You see, there’s quite a difference between being dead and being legally dead. Triumphant Christian living begins with an understanding of the fact that every believer is, in the sight of God, legally dead. He has life only in Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:1-8). Here we see the believer identified with Christ. So much today is spir itual defeat at the hands of sin. The normal Christian life can be victori ous and triumphant. Spiritual defeat in the life of the believer is not a necessity. How sad that it’s so rou- 15
means missing the mark or the standard of God for acceptance. An unbelieving man who has never ac cepted Christ as his Saviour, may be very intelligent, having reached the zenith of all learning and under standing, but as far as God is con cerned, if he’s never accepted Jesus Christ, he is just as lost and dead spiritually as the man who exists on Skid Row. • In verse 2, the word “walked” is used of one’s manner of living and behavior. The world’s s tand a rd s , morality, ambitions, attitudes, as pirations and fashions dominate his activities apart from Christ. Take away these things, and he’ll have ab solutely nothing left. On the other hand, let this man come to the Lord in simple faith and he’s immediately introduced to a whole new pattern of living. His life takes on new meaning as he has a natural desire to live for eternity. Men without Christ live under the devil’s authori ty (v. 3). The devil is described as energizing the children of disobedi ence. This has reference to all un believing people. An elderly saint testified that it had taken him 40 years to learn three very simple things: that he couldn’t do anything to save himself; that God did not expect him to; and that Jesus Christ had done every thing already that needed to be done on the Cross. You get a hold of those three things and you’ll have a rich spiritual treasure. In addition to God’s love, we have His mercy, grace and power. Each one is infinite and belongs to the Lord. They are all sufficient for the needs of the whole world. Verses 7 to 9 give us the won derful and glorious plan of the Lord for our own hearts and lives. It will be the basis for our next study to gether. C hapter Two T here is no g reater knowledge any one can possess than th a t of real
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