Ephesians 2 Reading Guide

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• 2020 5x5 Devotional

• BibleProject Resources for Ephesians

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Chapter Summary

• v1-3 - There are only two spiritual conditions, and before learning what it means to be alive in Christ, you must understand the default condition: being dead in sin.

  • People who are spiritually dead are slaves to "the ruler of the kingdom of the air (v2)."

  • All people who are not in Christ are in this condition,

    • enslaved to satisfying their own unquenchable appetite.

    • This sinfulness makes people deserving of God's wrath, not His love.
      

• v4-7 - Always be on the lookout for big BUT's in the Bible, and this is one of them. BUT:

  • although we deserved God's wrath,

  • because of God's love, He has:

    • made you alive in Christ by grace,

    • and raised you up with Christ, in order that:

      • in the age to come

      • He can give you even greater kindness.
        

• v8-10 - This passage is the central message of the Bible - understand it well!

  • you have been saved

    • by grace

    • through

      • faith (which has been given as a gift from God)

      • not the good things you've done (nobody can brag about how they've saved themselves).

  • God did this because you're the best thing He's made.

    • He created you in Christ

    • so that you could do the good works He prepared for you before He created anything.
      

• v11-18 - Salvation by grace through faith is the one thing that brings unity to all people.

  • All those in Christ have:

    • been brought into one new humanity,

    • and thus are in peace!

  • This message of peace is what is preached by Christ.
    

• v19-22 - As a result, you are:

  • Joined in perfect unity with fellow citizens of God's Kingdom.

  • We are all being built "to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit (v22)."

OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCE:

Another word for 'dwelling in which God lives' is temple. Read 1 Kings 8:1-14 which tells of God's glory coming to dwell in the temple Solomon had built, realizing that God's Spirit has come to dwell in you.

Discuss:

Use the comment box below to discuss one or more of these questions:

1. EYE FOR DETAIL—From what you recall seeing in this chapter, try answering the following question without looking at your Bible: Paul mentions a specific way in which God is rich. What is it? (See verse 4.)
   

2. Suppose that at the end of this chapter, Paul added this line: “If you remember only one thing from this chapter, let it be this: …” How do you think he would complete that sentence?

Questions taken from The Complete Bible Discussion Guide: New Testament

Follow the AAA Prayer Pattern:

• ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: God has wrath for those who remain dead in their sin (v3), yet He is rich in mercy (v4)

• ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength and wisdom to identify and fulfill the good works you've been created to do (v10)

• ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: