Ephesians 2:1-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. – Ephesians 2:8
Earlier this week, we reflected on Leviticus 17 and 18. These chapters emphasise two important ideas: (1) the sanctity of blood in sacrifice, and (2) God’s call for His people to separate themselves from pagan, worldly practices. Blood symbolised life, and only by shedding blood could sins be covered. God was calling His people to be holy and set apart for Him, both in their worship in and in their daily living.
Today’s New Testament reading in Ephesians 2:1-10 reveals how Jesus Christ fulfils what the Law pointed to. Paul reminds us that we were once dead in our trespasses and sin, living under the influence of the world’s values and desires of the flesh. Like the Israelites, we too were surrounded by worldly practices that pull us away from God. We were by nature children of wrath.
But God, in His great mercy and love, intervened. Through the blood of Christ, the perfect sacrifice offered without blemish, we are made alive. As Hebrews 9:14 says, “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Jesus, as our great High Priest, not only fulfilled the requirements of the Law, He opened the way for all, Jews and Gentiles alike, to be reconciled to God.
Now, we are no longer enslaved to the world’s patterns. We have been saved by grace through faith, not by works, and created anew in Christ Jesus to walk in the good works God prepared for us. Just as Israel was called to live differently from the surrounding nations, we too are called to reject worldliness and live in the power of God’s Spirit.
Reflection:
Are there areas in your life where you still operate with the mindset: “I am the master of my own life”? If Jesus is Lord, what would it look like to reorder your life, your time, your goals, your relationships, around Him?
Prayer:
Gracious God, Thank You for rescuing us from death and giving us new life through the blood of Jesus Christ. Thank You for Your mercy and great love for us. By Your grace, you saved us, not because of what we have done, but because of Your love. Help us to see the areas of our lives still shaped by worldly thinking, and give us the courage to lay them down before You. Teach us to walk in the good works You have prepared for us, and to live as people made alive in Christ. May our lives reflect Your holiness and Your truth.
Earlier this week, we reflected on Leviticus 17 and 18. These chapters emphasise two important ideas: (1) the sanctity of blood in sacrifice, and (2) God’s call for His people to separate themselves from pagan, worldly practices. Blood symbolised life, and only by shedding blood could sins be covered. God was calling His people to be holy and set apart for Him, both in their worship in and in their daily living.
Today’s New Testament reading in Ephesians 2:1-10 reveals how Jesus Christ fulfils what the Law pointed to. Paul reminds us that we were once dead in our trespasses and sin, living under the influence of the world’s values and desires of the flesh. Like the Israelites, we too were surrounded by worldly practices that pull us away from God. We were by nature children of wrath.
But God, in His great mercy and love, intervened. Through the blood of Christ, the perfect sacrifice offered without blemish, we are made alive. As Hebrews 9:14 says, “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Jesus, as our great High Priest, not only fulfilled the requirements of the Law, He opened the way for all, Jews and Gentiles alike, to be reconciled to God.
Now, we are no longer enslaved to the world’s patterns. We have been saved by grace through faith, not by works, and created anew in Christ Jesus to walk in the good works God prepared for us. Just as Israel was called to live differently from the surrounding nations, we too are called to reject worldliness and live in the power of God’s Spirit.
Reflection:
Are there areas in your life where you still operate with the mindset: “I am the master of my own life”? If Jesus is Lord, what would it look like to reorder your life, your time, your goals, your relationships, around Him?
Prayer:
Gracious God, Thank You for rescuing us from death and giving us new life through the blood of Jesus Christ. Thank You for Your mercy and great love for us. By Your grace, you saved us, not because of what we have done, but because of Your love. Help us to see the areas of our lives still shaped by worldly thinking, and give us the courage to lay them down before You. Teach us to walk in the good works You have prepared for us, and to live as people made alive in Christ. May our lives reflect Your holiness and Your truth.