Sermon Tone Analysis
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"THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS"
Our Condition Outside Of Christ (2:1-3)
INTRODUCTION
1.
In the last half of chapter one, we saw where Paul mentioned several
things for which he had been praying in behalf of the Ephesians:
a.
That they might know God -
b.
That they might know the hope of His calling -
c.
That they might know the glorious riches of His inheritance in the
saints -
d.
That they might know the exceeding greatness of God's power toward
believers -
2. In a previous lesson we briefly noted that Paul equated this great
power with the working of God that was exercised...
a.
In raising Jesus from the dead and exalting Him to be the head of
all things -
b.
In our own conversion, when God took us who were "dead in sin" and
made us "alive together with Christ" -
3. In order that we might appreciate more fully the grace and power that
was at work in our conversion, this lesson will focus on the
description of our condition BEFORE our conversion
a.
For we will not likely appreciate our PRESENT wealth, unless we
fully appreciate our FORMER poverty!
b.
Without a proper appreciation of our PRESENT wealth, we will not
likely heed the exhortations found later in this epistle (e.g.,
,; )
[As we consider, then, "Our Condition Outside of Christ", we learn that
prior to our conversion we were truly "the walking dead"!
For as Paul
states at first, we were...]
I. DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS (1)
A. "DEAD" IN WHAT WAY?
1.
Not in the sense of being devoid of ANY good or godly desires
a.
As some who believe in "Total Hereditary Depravity" would
teach
b.
For consider that most of those people whose conversions are
described in Acts were "God-fearing, Bible-believing" people
BEFORE their conversion!
1) The thousands of "devout men" in Jerusalem for Pentecost
-
2) The Ethiopian Eunuch, who had traveled great distances to
worship God and was reading Isaiah when Philip found him
-
3) Cornelius, a devout God-fearing Gentile who "prayed to
God always" -
4) Lydia, a prayerful woman "who worshipped God" - :
13-14
5) The "fair-minded" Bereans -
6) Saul of Tarsus (i.e., the apostle Paul) - ; :
4-6
2. Rather, "dead" in the sense of being "separated" from God
a. Just as "physical death" is a separation of body and spirit
- cf.
b.
So "spiritual death" exists when we are separated from God
- cf. ;
B. THE CAUSE OF THIS "DEATH"...
1.
Our separation from God has been brought about by "trespasses
and sins" - cf.
a. "trespasses" (deviations from the straight and narrow path,
Hendriksen) - what we might call "sins of COMMISSION"
b. "sins" (inclinations, thoughts, words, and deeds which "miss
the mark" of glorifying God, Hendriksen) - including what we
might call "sins of OMISSION"
2. "trespasses and sins" that WE committed...
a.
As made clear in verse two of this chapter ("in which you
once walked...")
b.
Not those of our forefathers - cf.
[Before our conversion to Christ, then, we were "dead" because of our
OWN sins, and as such, spiritually separated from God, even if we were
as religiously devout as those described in the book of Acts.
That
should tell us something about the terribleness of sin!
But the terribleness of sin becomes clearer as we learn what sort of
"company" we kept before our conversion.
For though "dead", we were...]
II.
WALKING WITH THE WORLD AND THE DEVIL (2)
A. WALKING "ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD"...
1.
Before conversion, one walks "in conformity with the customs
and manners of the world at large" (Barnes)
2. The moral condition of those still "in the world" is described
more fully in
a. Alienated from the life of God because of ignorance and
hardened hearts, those "in the world"...
1) Walk in the futility of their mind
2) Have their understanding darkened
b.
Being past feeling, those "in the world"...
1) Give themselves over to licentiousness
2) Work all uncleanness with greediness
-- Sounds pretty much like our own present generation, doesn't
it?
3.
With keeping such "company" before one's conversion, you can
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