Will Of Salvation - Week 3
Lesson Three Eph. 2:1-10
Connecting to one another
One time when I traveled to my home state, I visited my high school best friend’s mom. Her death was imminent. I loved her, so I asked her if she was confident that she would be with God when she died. She was absolutely confident...but for all the wrong reasons. We read Ephesians 2:1-10 together. When we came to the word “boast,” we talked about the holiness of God. Was she planning on boasting about herself before her holy God? The Spirit was with us that sweet morning; our conversation ended with prayer.
Do you have a brief story of using Ephesians 2:1-10 to share the gospel? If so, share it with your group.
Understanding the Truth with one another
Verse by Verse ~ Topic by Topic ~ Argument by Argument
Read Ephesians 2:1-10.
1. Verses 1-3
a. Who or what do the dead obey? List them along with their descriptors; then label one external, one supernatural, one internal. See the definition of “death” on Terms to Know page 4.
b. Why are the dead responsible for their actions?
CONTEXT – Why does Paul shift to remind the saints of powers they formerly obeyed?
To answer that let’s review Ephesians 1:20-23. We discussed how God seated Christ above ALL powers and gave this Ruler to the Church. The Church = His Body = the fullness of Him who fills all in all. How are we His fullness? Christ fills the Church with His presence and His power. Why? So that God’s inheritance and possession is one of glory. Remember, Paul commended the Ephesians for demonstrating God’s glory through their faith in Him and their sacrificial love for the saints (Eph 1:15). Ready to answer the question?
c. Why does Paul shift here to remind the saints of powers they formerly obeyed?
2. Verses 4-7
a. Totally exhaust all these verses teach us about the character of God. To do this, move methodically through each verse and discuss how each key word contributes to a greater understanding of who He is. Start with the first word “But.”
b. How do these verses affirm WE are “in Christ”?
3. Verses 8-10
8a For by grace you have been saved 8b through faith. 8c And this is not your own doing; 8d it is the gift of God, 9a not a result of works, 9b so that no one may boast. 10a For we are his workmanship, 10b created in Christ Jesus for good works, 10c which God prepared beforehand, 10d that we should walk in them.
Label each statement as true or false. Then list at least one source of textual evidence (8a, 9b, 10d, etc.)
_____ We initiate our relationship with God. ___________
_____ The proper response to God's gift of salvation is faith (trust). ___________
_____ We have faith because we understood the logic of the gospel. ___________
_____ We earn grace by attending church, praying, helping the poor, and other works. ___________
_____ God is love, so He is obligated to save all people. ___________
_____ God will remove His gift of salvation if we sin. ___________
_____ If our good works outweigh our sins, then we will go to heaven. ___________
_____ None will stand before God at the judgement with a resume of all they did for God. ___________
_____ We are saved for good works. Works are the product of our salvation. ___________
_____ Our good works demonstrate God’s grace in us. ___________
_____ God’s gift enables us to walk as children of obedience. ___________
4. How would you explain to someone that our justification and our sanctification are both the result of God’s initiating grace?
Living the Truth as we are sent out
5a. Counseling with Aryel --
o Discuss some reasons why your unsaved friends have come to you for counsel. One of you, play the role of Aryel, an unsaved friend. Choose a reason you like and explain your situation for a few minutes. The rest of you listen carefully. (In real life naturally, you would listen for a while and respond with empathy that acknowledges Aryel’s very real pain and losses.)
o Jot down one way Aryel’s story reveals his or her need for a relationship with God.
5b. Transitioning Aryel to the gospel --
o “Aryel, I can give you advice and coping methods, but do you believe that if we involve God in your situation that you would have more hope in walking through this?” In all of my years of transitioning from the person’s situation to opening a door to share the gospel, only once did a person tell me “No.” So, Aryel, go ahead and say, “Yes.”
o “Aryel, what do you believe about God?” Aryel, respond with some general ideas typical of people who believe in God but do not trust Him as Savior.
o “Aryel, you clearly have respect for God and understand ________________________. Do you have confidence that you have a relationship with God that will continue in heaven?” (In other words, are you confident you will be in heaven one day?) Aryel, answer either “Yes” or “No.”
o Aryel, why do you believe that? Aryel, share a typical way an unsaved person might answer.
5c. Sharing the gospel with Aryel --
Using ONLY Ephesians 2:1-10, share the gospel with Aryel in a simple way. Avoid using “Christianese.” You can use the space below to write your key points.
Close by sharing how when a person trusts Christ for salvation, he or she receives the seal of the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14). He will give Aryel the grace and power needed to walk through not only this situation but all future situations common to humanity in our fallen world.
Praying Through the Truth for the Body
6. How does this passage call for you to praise, to thanksgiving, and to petition? Consider that silently. Then take turns praying out loud. When all have prayed, leaders, close with a final blessing.
Worship ALL Week At Grace we trust Christ to transform us as we abide in Him daily.
READ
o Homework – Read Ephesians 2:11-22 in preparation for next week.
MEDITATE
o Homework -- Take notes from Ephesians 2:11-22. Note how this passage is teaching the unity of all believers in Christ.
ACT Options
o Pray through Ephesians 2:1-10 thanking God for His grace at work in you. Pray through it again with an unbelieving friend or family member in mind and ask God to extend His grace to him or her.
o Ask a believing or an unbelieving friend or family member if you can practice sharing the gospel with them. Let them know this is “homework” and thank him orher for helping you out. Use the questions in 5b and your notes in 5c to plan for that. Take time to pray.
o Continue to pray for our church body that we would indeed be “the fullness of Him who fills all in all” and that many in our city would boast in Him when they stand before Him in heaven.
God’s joy and strength to you!
kpaulson@gracelaredo.org
Terms to Know EPHESIANS 2:1-10
1. death (nekros) – pertaining to being unable to respond to any impulse or to perform some function—‘unable, ineffective, dead, powerless. Because of the fall, we are dead spiritually (Ephesians 2:1; Rom 3:10-12).
2. depravity -- the inability to save ourselves or please God (Rom 7:18; Titus 1:15). We are not as bad as we can be, but apart from Christ, we lost our freedom to glorify God (Isa 64:6; Eph 4:17-19)
3. faith – the trust we show when we gladly receive God’s gift of salvation through Christ because we have repented of justifying ourselves (Eph 2:8-9)
4. flesh/body (sarx) -- the psychological aspect of human nature in contrast with the spiritual nature; that aspect of human nature which is characterized by or reflects typical human reasoning and desires in contrast with those aspects of human thought and behavior which relate to God and the spiritual life. It is used to communicate our destructive nature has a physicality to it.
5. gift – something given voluntarily without expectation of compensation or return (Eph 2:8-9)
6. gospel – good news (Rom 1:16) The gospel is sourced in a Person, Jesus the Son of God who lived a sinless life and willingly died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of every person everywhere and then rose again on the third day (Luke 24:46-47; 1 Pet 1:18-19).
7. grace -- unmerited favor (Eph 2:8-9)
8. justification -- refers to the divine act whereby God makes humans, who are sinful and therefore worthy of condemnation, acceptable before a God who is holy and righteous[1] (Rom 5:1)
9. mind (dianoia) -- the psychological faculty of understanding, reasoning, thinking, and deciding—‘mind (Eph 2:3)
10. passions -- (epithymia) -- to strongly desire to have what belongs to someone else and/or to engage in an activity which is morally wrong (Eph 2:3)
11. sanctification -- how God conforms us to holiness of Christ. We are sanctified when we are regenerated, and yet the Spirit’s sanctification is a process (Eph 3:16-19; Phil 1:6). When we say, “Grace is a gift from God,” this acknowledges both our justification and sanctification.
12. saved -- We are saved from God’s wrath and eternal judge when we trust Christ paid the price for our sins on the cross and rose again on the third day. (Eph 2:8-9; John 3:16)
13. walk -- the ethical path a person takes (Eph 2:1; 4:1;5:2, 8, 15). The “walk” is a common figure of speech in Scripture because our walk flows from what our heart and mind are fixed upon.
14. workmanship -- (poiema) God’s act in creating. Ephesians 2:10 literally reads, “His creation we are” to emphasize the work is HIS.
15. wrath (orge) -- divine punishment based on God’s angry judgment against someone—‘to punish, punishment (Eph 2:3)
[1] Grenz, S., Guretzki, D., & Nordling, C. F. (1999). Pocket dictionary of theological terms (p. 69). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.