Ephesians 2:1-22

"But God who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ." (V4) What is it that God is rich in? When did God loved us? How many did God quickened together with Christ? How many did God raise up? How many are now seated with Christ? How many did God still love even though they were all dead in sins? Did God only do it for those who believed? Weren't we all dead in our sins? Did God choose to forgive us when we confessed Him as Savior? What is it that we as a human race are more rich in, and less poor in? Friends, we are more rich in hatred and very poor in mercy.

This chapter is pretty much self explanatory if we understand the first chapter. Chapter two is all about God being rich in mercy, in love, in grace as it says in verse 7, and also in kindness. The Evangelical doctrines don't teach this. As far as they are concerned, God loves you if, and He doesn't love you if. Religion is a mighty force of bondage. It is a world to itself. Religion not only reduces grace to a few, but they even tell the few that grace is measured and pretty much based on their performance. Evangelical Christianity does not teach that ALL are forgiven, nor quickened together with Christ. They do not accept that ALL are now seated in heavenly places in Christ.

Organized religion is deadly poison to the mind, and heart. They define grace under the works of the law. They will quote word for word verses 8 and 9, and then put a religious twist and spin on verse 10 and bring out their deadly form of legalism that will kill the freedom of God's grace in Christ. "You see there brother Eddie, how it talks about "good works" in verse 10." Whenever I get people who get all bent out of shape with out of context quotes like these, I just ask them to read Philippians 3:9 and Titus 3:5. It is at this point that they choke, and begin to scratch their head. Friends, verse 10 of Ephesians says: "UNTO" good works. It doesn't say "BY" good works. I have nothing against people doing good works.

My only objection is when people think that it is their good works that proves that they are saved by grace. That's exactly what the "3 Amigos" had led the people at "Galatia" into believing. "Hey, its ok to believe that you are saved by grace, but there is nothing wrong with keeping to some of the works of the law of Moses." "Come on, a little leaven won't hurt anything." "Here, let me cut some of your foreskin, and shave off your hair." God loves people with baldness." "Come on, let James show you how to properly sacrifice an animal." "He is good at it." "Then let Peter show you how to add to your faith, and John will teach you how your good works will lead God to love you a little more than the rest."

Friends, notice how in verse 10 Paul says that "good works" was something that God had before ordained that we should walk in them. The good works are none other than the good works of Jesus since Paul quotes the prophet Isiah as saying: "All of our works are as filthy rags." The "good works" of verse 10 are the God ordained good works of Christ the which God prepared for us all to walk in. It is not talking about any of our own good works of morality. Paul said that we have fallen from grace by thinking that we can be justified by our own works or the works of the law of Moses. Gal. 5:4. If grace is a gift, then how can we possibly earn it and buy it with our filthy rags? Think!

It is beyond me, then again maybe not since I too thought the same, why anyone would want to take credit and add to the finished work of the cross? Why it doesn't penetrate the mind and heart of Evangelical Christianity, that this Gospel of the grace of God is all about what God did for all, and not all doing for God, beats me? Friends, we are all the work of God. We don't work for God, God worked for us, in us and through us because of Christ's good works and not ours. We are His creation in Christ. It was God who loved the whole world even before the foundation of the earth, before the law, during the law, after the law, while the whole world was in sin (unbelief) and in their sins, before the cross and after the cross.

God's love and opinion of us has never changed, will never change and it will forever remain the same. Grace doesn't get any better than this. Thank God that God blessed "Isaac" as much as He blessed "Ishmael." Now, in verse 11 Paul wants us to remember something about times past. Not about times future because our past, present and future are all in Christ. The work is finished. There was a time when we Gentiles were called uncircumcised by the circumcised Jews who's foreskin was cut by the hands of men. At that time the Gentiles were without Christ, outside the gate, across the bridge, outside the walls. Excluded as aliens, strangers separated from the commonwealth of Israel.

We weren't included in the promise of the covenant, the law of Moses. We had no hope, and were without God in this world. Now, here's where the shouting ought to begin. Look at the "BUT" in verse 13. I just love that "BUT." "But now in Christ Jesus." Oh! baby, baby, baby. I just get so excited about the "BUT," that I just want to get up out of this chair, stop writing and have me a hallelujah moment. Between verse 13 and 22 there's is just too much excitement and rejoicing to be done, and I don't know how anyone can read all of these verses and remain sitting where they're at. If you want to experience a true pentecostal, charismatic, evangelistic preaching moment and really feel the fire, then these are the verses to do it out of.

If "Rod Parsley" gets excited about his legalistic junky works of self-righteousness, we can get excited about the juicy works of grace. Can't you just imagine what would happen to this entire world if a "Begging Hinn" or a "Jumpy Swaggart" would preach an evangelistic, pentecostal message out of these verses in light of grace instead of works? It will probably get God so excited that He will open the heaven's and say: "Hey, lets all have the party up here!". Yeah right! Wishful thinking on my part. If such a thing were to happen, the churches would go out of business and the preachers would be forced to give up their luxury and pride.

I will save these verses for Part 10. Stay tuned. Don't go anywhere.

Grace N Peace

Eddie Narvaez