Servings Per Verse: Unknown
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.
