Saved From: The Reality of Our Former Condition
Saved From: The Reality of Our Former Condition
Monday
"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."
— Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV)
— Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV)
Paul doesn't soften the blow. Before Christ, we weren't merely sick or struggling—we were dead. Spiritual death isn't dramatic like physical death; it's quiet, ordinary, even comfortable. We walked through life following the crowd, chasing desires that felt natural, never realizing we were sleepwalking through a graveyard.
Notice the three influences Paul identifies: the world's system, the enemy's schemes, and our own flesh. We were not victims of one bad choice but captives to a threefold bondage. The world told us what to value. The enemy whispered lies we believed. Our flesh demanded satisfaction we couldn't refuse.
"Children of wrath" sounds harsh to modern ears, but Paul includes himself—"among whom we all once lived." This isn't condemnation from a distance; it's testimony from someone who remembers. Remembering where we came from isn't meant to shame us but to magnify the rescue. A person pulled from a shallow puddle feels mild relief. A person pulled from the depths of the ocean never stops being grateful.
Notice the three influences Paul identifies: the world's system, the enemy's schemes, and our own flesh. We were not victims of one bad choice but captives to a threefold bondage. The world told us what to value. The enemy whispered lies we believed. Our flesh demanded satisfaction we couldn't refuse.
"Children of wrath" sounds harsh to modern ears, but Paul includes himself—"among whom we all once lived." This isn't condemnation from a distance; it's testimony from someone who remembers. Remembering where we came from isn't meant to shame us but to magnify the rescue. A person pulled from a shallow puddle feels mild relief. A person pulled from the depths of the ocean never stops being grateful.
1. When you think about your life before Christ (or before you truly understood grace), what patterns do you recognize that Paul describes here?
2. How does understanding your former "deadness" change the way you view God's work in your life?
3. Which of the three influences (world, enemy, flesh) still tempts you most today?
2. How does understanding your former "deadness" change the way you view God's work in your life?
3. Which of the three influences (world, enemy, flesh) still tempts you most today?
Father, I confess that I often forget how lost I was without You. Help me never to minimize the pit from which You lifted me. When I'm tempted to feel self-sufficient or to judge others still walking in darkness, remind me that I was once dead too. Let gratitude, not pride, mark my days. In Jesus' name, Amen.
No Comments