Dead In Our Sins

Ephesians 2:1-5

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--

This passage says we were dead in our trespasses. This simple statement is so significant. It calls attention to our complete helplessness to save ourselves, to go from spiritual death as "children of wrath" to adopted sons and daughters with spiritual life.

Many might argue that we have the capacity within ourselves to seek God to earn salvation -- that we, of our own desires, without the work of God in our lives first, have the ability to go to Him and be saved. However, if one is spiritually dead, how could this be so? Can a physically dead man breathe and come alive again of his own volition? This is obviously not possible, otherwise there would be a lot more people roaming around. Therefore, in the same way a physically dead man cannot live again, a spiritually dead man is helpless to gain spiritual life.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 illustrates this point. God shows the prophet Ezekiel a vision of a valley of dry bones. God asks Ezekiel in verse three, "Son of man, can these bones live?" The answer, "O Lord GOD, you know." God then tells Ezekiel to prophesy, and as he does so, the bones come together, are covered with muscles and skin, then are given breath. God says in verse 11, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel." The bones represent God's chosen people of the Old Testament. God's chosen people of the New Testament - the church. God is showing how He works in the lives of the ones He loves to raise them from spiritual death. Verse 14: "And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live.... Then you shall know that I am the LORD."

This second part of Ezekiel 37:14 shows us why God does this. He works singularly (meaning without any requirement on us) so that we may know from it that He is Lord. His working of our salvation is also a demonstration of his incredible love for us. Ephesians 2:4-5: "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ..." The most beautiful two words found in Scripture, "but God." We cannot raise ourselves out of spiritual death, but God can and does through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

In light of these passages, how can anyone argue that we depraved children of wrath have any hand in our salvation? To say so diminishes the death of Christ and the work of God in our lives. We were DEAD! God gave us spiritual life, He rescued us, to show His love and mercy and to demonstrate His authority as God.
SDG