Chiastic Structure of Ephesians A 1 3 2

Chiastic Structure of Ephesians A 1: 3 -2: 10 What we are as individuals because of what Christ did! B 2: 113: 13 C 3: 14 -21 B’ 4: 1 -6: 9 What we are as a new humanity because of what Christ did! Paul’s Prayer We should therefore live in unity, holiness and mutual submission We can therefore stand A’ 6: 10 -20 and do battle in light of who we are in Christ!

A Certain Kind of Perspective Ephesians 2: 1 -10

Ephesians 2: 1 -3 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

(v 1) Dead in sins CONDITION (v 2) Followed the ways of the world DISPOSITION and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air (v 2) Sons of disobedience (v 3) All of us lived…gratifying sinful POSITION nature CONDITION (v 3) Following its desires and thoughts DISPOSITION (v 3) Children of wrath POSITION

What we were CONDITION What we followed DISPOSITION How we stood before God POSITION

The Fallen State of Humanity The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved…his heart was filled with pain. Gen 6: 5

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matt 9: 36 -37 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8: 36

WE WERE BUT…GOD

Ephesians 2: 4 -10 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We were dead, But God made us alive CONDITION – It is by grace you have been saved We followed the way of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, But God raised us up with Christ, ruler of the eternal kingdom DISPOSITION We were to be crushed by God’s wrath, POSITION But God seated us with him Before God For It is by grace you have been saved Which of these things was done by

The Contrast The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10: 10

Why did Paul bring the Christians in Ephesus back to the starting point to see this contrast?

We need a radical re-orientation of our worldview.

Ontological Inversion 1. When God created man, he created us essentially as spiritual beings. 2. We were oriented first as spiritual beings, then physical beings. 3. However, at the fall of man, there was an ontological inversion. 4. Now, we see ourselves as physical beings rather than spiritual beings.

Who is “living the life”?

16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Cor 5: 16 -17

With a biblical worldview, We live according to what matters most.