I had just begun studying Ephesians again when the Corona virus hit. My instinct was to set aside the writing from the epistle, as somehow out of touch with the crisis. But then God gave me the thought: What could be more appropriate for troubled times than timeless truths?
I have received a lot of response expressing appreciation for these brief reflections. Thanks for your interest.
Before this storm arrived, God’s truth stood unmovable. And after the dust settles, His truth will be clearly seen, glistening in the light.
We now enter Ephesians chapter two, and the beloved declaration of salvation by grace, apart from works. As I reflected on this passage, God brought it to me very personally. So I am going to invite you to personalize it, just as I have done.
Dear (your name),
Your soul was once doomed to destruction.
“you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others” (2:1-3).
You were in the clutches of the dark prince who planned to persecute your soul forever in conscious torment .You were by nature scheduled to receive wrath and produce it for others, to fall to deepest filth of your perverted mind, to prostitute your body in debauchery.
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (2:4-5).
But now you are alive– not doomed but destined for eternal life! Your soul has been raised from death and restored to its created purpose — to live forever with God and for Him,
You are wedded to Christ Jesus, sitting with Him in the heavenly places, sharing in His glorious inheritance
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (2:8-9)
This is all because God is merciful, and longed to shower His grace on you. He longed to buy back your lost soul and reclaim it for Himself.
And you accepted this gift, by faith. You overcame doubts, and believed in simple faith.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (2:10).
And now at this very challenging time, God has works of beauty for you to do. God has given you gifts to share with others. Maybe those gifts grew stagnant through disuse.
Now is the time to
- stir up what God has placed with you
- simplify and prioritize, removing clutter from your mind and living space
- immerse yourself in larger portions of God’s Word so as to feed your soul which He has redeemed for His glory
This is the message God wants every soul to hear.
I have believed in Jesus for my salvation since I was a young lad, but today I have been startled to realize that I was born into a frightening future. My soul was doomed to a living hell because my very nature was fallen. Satan wanted to destroy me forever — a nice kid like me!
How I thank God today for reaching out to me with His grace.
I am saved! Rescued! Delivered! And Satan has no hold on me anymore!
Is this your story? Make sure today.
Don’t leave this most important decision untended. Be sure that you have placed your trust in Jesus Christ as your savior. Let Him rescue your soul from doom.
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Missed earlier posts on Ephesians? Click here to go back to the first one on my website.
