Spiritual Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: about 1 truth
Servings Per Verse: Unknown

Text: Ephesians 2:4

ESV:

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 -

*ETS:

But God, the ever merciful, because He loved us with an everlasting love, enacted His will and by His matchless grace changed our situation by bringing us out of sin and death - making us alive in Jesus Christ.

*DTFTD:

Ephesisans 2:4 is a commentary on the Christian' s pre-conversion condition and God's activity in salvation. Prior to salvation the Christian was dead in trespasses. Let me break down that little phrase. We were "dead" which means we were separated from God, the originator and sustainer of all true life. We were dead "in trespasses" which means we were habitual sinners - unable and unwilling to participate in any activity that would constitute change in our sin -loving nature. Prior to salvation, every person is separated from God and the very thing he or she loves, (sin), makes them incapable of doing anything to remedy the separation. "But God . . . ." Hallelujah! A two word miraculous response to our three word crisis (dead in trespasses). God worked when we could not. Salvation is what God has done for us, because he loved us. In mercy and great grace he performed a miracle of deliverance for us and in us. We were dead, but He made us alive in Christ! Praise God for the riches of His mercy, for the everlasting power of His love, and for the greatness of His grace which He has displayed in bringing us to life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

*EDS:

" That's why he died on Calvary, because when I could not come to where he was he came to me." (Words from Squire Parsons' song "He Came to Me")

INGREDIENTS: A commentary on the Christian's condition prior to salvation, and God's response. Word Study: The interjection, "by grace you have been saved" is a periphrastic construction, (making use of a finite verb and a participle). It should read, "by grace have you been completely saved, with the present result that you are in a saved state of being." The emphasis is on a past event with a result that persists through the present time. (Wuest Word Studies, Vol 1).

*ESV- English Standard Version; ETS- Essence of the Text in a Sentence; DTFTD- Devotional Thought For The Day; EDS- Essence of the Devotional in a Sentence.

Spiritual Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: about 1 truth
Servings Per Verse: Unknown

Text: Ephesians 2:3

ESV:

.. . . . among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

*ETS:

when we look at the world and worldliness around us, in many ways, we must truly say, "been there, done that."

*DTFTD:

Prior to being saved every Christian lived as salve to sin - understanding worldly ways, thinking worldly thoughts, and participating in worldly deeds without restraint or conviction. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). In essence, when it comes to living as a child of wrath, every Christian has been there and done that. When it comes to unrestrained sinful living every person on the planet is part of the "been there, done that" family. Paul's use of the words "children of wrath" is a reference to two specific ideas. First, the word "children" in the Greek is from the root that means "to give birth to." Paul is reminding us that all of humanity is born with the exact same sin nature. Second, Paul's use of the words translated, "of wrath," is his way of reminding us that all were born with a nature that stands in opposition to holiness and invites the wrath of God. All have the same sin nature, all have sinned, but not all have come to realize their sin nature invites the wrath of God. When a person realizes the fact of sin's death grip, and the certain pending wrath of God, he or she will greatly appreciate the next six words in Paul's letter, "but God being rich in mercy" (v4). From wrath to riches, praise God, what a story! Is it your story?

*EDS:

We all understand the sin nature, and we all need the grace of God for forgiveness and salvation.

INGREDIENTS: We were sinners in the hands of an angry God, but God who is rich in mercy changed the ending of our story. Word Study: The word "desires" is thelema, "desires that come from the emotions. Thus the life of the unsaved is swayed by the emotions rather than reason" (Wuest Word Studies, vol. 1).

*ESV- English Standard Version; ETS- Essence of the Text in a Sentence; DTFTD- Devotional Thought For The Day; EDS- Essence of the Devotional in a Sentence.

Spiritual Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: about 1 truth
Servings Per Verse: Unknown

Text: Ephesians 2:2

ESV:

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.

*ETS:

In the life you lived before knowing Christ, you walked in sin, going along with the world and its worldly ways of thinking, following the leadership of the enemy of God who propogates a spirit of disobedience. You know the spirit of which I speak, the spirit that is now evident in all who live to disobey God.

*DTFTD:

"Roll back the curtain of memory now and then, show me where you brought me from and where I could have been. Remember I'm human, and humans forget. So remind me, remind me dear Lord." (from the Alison Krauss song "Remind Me, Dear Lord").

We should be thankful for the ability to remember, but we should be careful in our use of memory. Paul is calling on the Ephesian saints to remember their life prior to their relationship with God through Christ. Paul is not asking them to remember the sins they committed in their old life. No one who is truly saved desires to relive in memory the evil of their past life and Paul would not encourage such activity. Actually since we can sin in our hearts, and our minds can recreate scenes of sin with vivid detail, we need to be careful in our recall of the former days. What was the apostle encouraging the Ephesian saints to do?
Paul encouaged the saints to remember God's gracious rescue of their souls. Paul is saying, "Do you remember where you were when God saved you.? Do you remember how hopelessly lost you were, giving yourself to sin and the ways of the world. Do you remember what it was like to be under the captivity of the prince of this evil worldly system? To refresh your memory just look at the world - you'll see what was familiar to you at one time." Remembering where we were without Christ should make us appreciate our salvation and pray for those who are still in captivity to sin. Christians should live rejoicing in their salvation and praying for those who need to be saved. If we are not praising God for our salvation, and if we are not concerned for the lost, it is time to take a walk with Paul down memory lane.

"Nothing good have I done to deserve God's own Son, I'm not worthy of the scars in his hands. Yet he chose the road to Calvary to die in my place. Why he loves me I can't understand." (Alison Krass, Remind Me Dear Lord).

*EDS:

"God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Memorize Romans 5:8 today. Praise God for his grace. Be thankful for your salvation and pray for someone you know who is still in captivity to sin.

INGREDIENTS: Using our memory well. Word Study: "sons of disobedience" Wuest says, "The word 'disobedient' is the translation of 'apeithes,' meaning 'impersuasable, uncompliant.' Stephen called Israel stiffnecked in heart. This gives the picture of a person who is impersuasable and uncompliant. "

*ESV- English Standard Version; ETS- Essence of the Text in a Sentence; DTFTD- Devotional Thought For The Day; EDS- Essence of the Devotional in a Sentence.

Spiritual Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: about 1 truth
Servings Per Verse: Unknown

Text: Ephesians 2:1

ESV:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

*ETS:

You were a sinner, having a nature to sin, and you were dead to the presence of God.

*DTFTD:

The testimony of a Christian speaks to what was and what is with specific emphasis on contrast. The Christian can say with certainty, "I am what I was not, and what I was I am no longer." The degree of contrast is diametric. The believer's testimony relates opposites, "I was dead to God, now I am alive to God. I was in darkness, now I am a child of the light. I was lost, now I am found. I was blind, now I see." Why would we ever think it not possible to determine whether a person is truly saved? Do I not have the ability to determine the difference between light and darkness, life and death, sight and blindness? The Christian witness is to be light in a world of darkness. If the difference between a saved and lost person should be obvious to the world, should it not be obvious to the saved as well? The Christian conversion is an experience of transition where old things pass away and all things become new (II Corinthians 5:17). The Christian's transition is a testimony of God's grace and proof of reconciliation. Paul's word in Ephesians 2:1 is the introduction to an emphasis of the distinction between the old life without Christ and the new life in Christ. The transition is a testimony of God's pursuit of our souls and his power in our lives. Our God, being rich in mercy, performed a miracle of grace when he focused his power and love on our captivity to sin and death. The devotional text for today simply states the fact of the Christian's past, "you were dead in trespasses and sins . . . ." Thank God for that little word "were," which speaks volumes of His powerful work in our lives.

"Redeemed, how I love to proclaim, it redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am." (Fanny Crosby, 1882).

*EDS:

The Christian's motto : "Because of my encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ, I am what I was not, and what I was I am no longer. I am not what I will be, and what I will be, in that final day in Christ, I will be forever to the glory of God's grace."

INGREDIENTS: An introduction to the Christian's new life in Christ. Word Study: The word "dead" means "spiritually dead, that is, destitute of a life that recognizes and is devoted to God, (a life) given up to trespasses and sins, inactive as respects doing right" (Wuest Word Studies, Vol. 1).

*ESV- English Standard Version; ETS- Essence of the Text in a Sentence; DTFTD- Devotional Thought For The Day; EDS- Essence of the Devotional in a Sentence.

Spiritual Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: about 1 truth
Servings Per Verse: Unknown

Text: Ephesians 1:21-23

*ESV:

far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

*ETS:

Jesus is the head over his body, the church. All authorities in this world, (at present, and in the ages to come), are under his feet (under his power and dominion). The vessel through which he operates, His body, the church, He fills the with himself ("His gifts, energies, and graces" Wuest Word Studies).

*DTFTD:

The Church, the Redeemed of God, should realize its power source is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The Lord Jesus Christ has all authority and power and dominion. Every government and principality is his footstool. The mentality of the Christian should be that of a victor in the world. We are to move and operate under the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to live with the awareness that the various governments of the world have limited authority and they will one day answer to the supreme authority, Jesus Christ our Lord. The Church, the body of Christ, must model submission to the Lordship of Jesus and allow his power to be clearly seen in our obedience to His will.

*EDS:

By the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians have the privilege of living in communion with Christ, who fills them with all wisdom and grace to accomplish his will. There in no government or power that stop what Christ has determined to do through his body, the Church.

INGREDIENTS: A word on the authority of Christ and His work in the world through the church. Word Study: On the head-body metaphor in the text, Hendricksen says, "The head-body metaphor, when interpreted as meaning that the body fills or completes the head, resulting in an organic unity, so that the body carries out the will and purpose of the head , makes good sense. Christ uses the church in the realization of his plan in the govenment of the world and for the salvation of sinners" (NTC, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990).

*ESV- English Standard Version; ETS- Essence of the Text in a Sentence; DTFTD- Devotional Thought For The Day; EDS- Essence of the Devotional in a Sentence.