EPHESIANSShembull

God’s power in raising his Son from the dead can seem to be distant at times: when the land is dry, when you are dry, when life is dry. But Paul wants his readers to know how this power has worked to give them new life in an incomparably wonderful way. 

The language here is quite stark; literally, humans (all humans) are ‘dead-men walking.’ We are corpses who have no prospect of life (vs.1-3). It is the intervention of God – out of his will, his character of mercy and love – which exercises our resurrection. It is not a rescue, but a resurrection (vs.4-7). In Jesus (there is that postcode again) God deals with the judgment of our sin, and raises us to be acceptable to sit in his presence. From corpses to living people ‘in Christ,’ it is all God’s doing in Christ, as a gift, received by trusting him at his word (vs.8-10). The change is so significant that it affects how we walk, from 'in sin' to ‘good deeds’. What power! What a humbling gift!

Question:

What is so significant about how Christians have been changed from ‘corpses’ to people ‘holy and blameless,’ able to sit in God’s presence?

Prayer:

Dear Father, only you have the power to take a lifeless, sinful corpse and make it fit to dwell in your presence. Thank you that you have done all this in Jesus, whose perfect life is now mine, whose death paid my debt, whose resurrection shows your mercy. Help me to walk in this new life. Amen.