"WE WERE DEAD!"

Ephesians 2:1-8                   (ESV)

"1 And you were DEAD in the trespasses and sins

2 in which you once walked, following the course of THIS WORLD, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-

3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

4 But GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which HE loved us,

5 even when "WE WERE DEAD" in our trespasses, MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST-by grace you have been saved-

6 and raised us up with HIM and seated us with HIM in the heavenly places in CHRIST JESUS,

7 so that in the coming ages HE might show the immeasurable riches of HIS grace in kindness toward us in CHRIST JESUS."

How many people reading this today are "ALIVE"???  Most would indicate that they are living, breathing, functioning members of society able to self-sustain themselves. We arise from our sleep each day to perform the tasks assigned with very little thought about whether the air we breathe, or the clean water we need to survive, will being sufficient for the day. 

In the passage above the Apostle Paul spoke of "things of the Spirit" when he wrote in Ephesians 2, not in "things of the flesh"!  He started in verse 1 saying we were DEAD in trespasses and sins, and repeats in verse 5 "WE WERE DEAD" in our trespasses.  If we are DEAD how do we function?  How does a DEAD person contribute to society?  The item "this world" (John 12:31 "Now is the judgment of THIS WORLD; now will the ruler of THIS WORLD be cast out.") is constantly trying to get us to FOCUS on really not what we SHOULD be focusing on!  

A quote from C.S. Lewis says "You don't have a Soul.  You are a Soul!  You have a body!" I leave that quote on my iPad as a constant reminder that "this world" is only temporary.  Our "EVERLASTING" beings, what is REAL, is our Spirits and that is what I need to nourish and take care of!  

There SEEMS to be an unquenchable desire live THIS LIFE as healthy, and long, as we can. Exercise programs, certain diets, medical advances......there appears to be no limit to what we will do to remain physically ALIVE.  But if Paul writes that "WE WERE DEAD" why do we put so much emphasis (and expense) on something that is temporary?  Why don't we FOCUS on an exercise program and advances in our Spiritual health!  Our eternal beings, our SOULS, are what JESUS came to rescue.  JESUS did not come so that we would never "physically" die.  HE came that we would not SPIRITUALLY die!

The enemy wants us to focus on "this world" and never get a "glimpse" of our eternal destination.  Maybe that is because "his" eternal destination has already been determined!  When we are BORN AGAIN, when we are CHOSEN by GOD to be a part of HIS family, we become one who can proclaim "WE WERE DEAD"!!  That is what "this world" doesn't want us focusing on, for "this world" will pass away (1 John 2:17), and mainly that "WE WERE DEAD"!!