REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE NOW IN CHRIST
SCRIPTURE:
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:1—10)
OBSERVATION:
Paul started by pointing to the Ephesians’ spiritual condition. They were dead in transgression and sins, which they used to live in. Paul reminded them how they used to follow the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air. Spirits are working to make people disobedient to God. We are not just being influenced by this world but also by the ruler of the kingdom of the air. What is the ruler of the kingdom of the air? These are demonic forces that work against us daily.
Christians do not often reflect on the unseen reality that they face daily. Forces that are seeking and working to make us disobedient to Christ. These demonic forces are used to rule our lives, leading us to gratify the cravings of our flesh. Paul said these spiritual forces work with our fleshly cravings, that we would follow their desires and thoughts. We were dead in our transgression and our sins, BUT God, in his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, changed us from being dead to being alive. God so loved us and is so full of mercy on us that he;
- Made us alive with Christ
- Raised us with Christ
- Seated us with Christ in heavenly realms
- Gifted us with his grace
- Created us new
This list is about the gift of God’s grace for my salvation. Paul emphasizes that the Ephesians’ new position in Christ is not a passive state but a result of their active choice to no longer follow the ways of this world. They are a new creation, created for a special purpose, and are no longer subject to the influence of the world and the demonic forces. They now live under God’s life, a testament to their active decision to align with His will.
We have been made alive, raised, seated, gifted, and created a new in Christ so we can do the works that God has already prepared for us since the beginning of this world. God has a plan for us since the beginning, but the world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air seek to make us disobey what God’s plan laid out for us to do. Unless we recognize who we are, we will never be able to do the works that God has laid out in advance for us to do.
APPLICATION:
Life is a spiritual warfare between my old life and the new me. I am so glad that today, I am reminded that warfare is not just what I see but also the world I do not see. I will continue to remind myself that I am no longer the old person who craves the things of the world with its desires and thoughts. I am a new person created in God’s image to do what he has called me to do.
PRAYER:
Father, I am grateful for this reminder today. Please teach me and remind me of who I am when I face difficulties from the world and the unseen forces of darkness. Please teach me how to live in the newness of life that you already have for me. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for saving me and giving me the life I don’t deserve. I am grateful to you, Lord, for your kindness toward me. Amen!
