Bullet Point Bible - Ephesians 2

Once Dead, Now Alive

¹ And although you were dead in your offenses and sins,² in which you formerly lived according to this world's present path, according to the ruler of the domain of the air, the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience,³ among whom all of us also formerly lived out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest...

Paul addresses the Gentile believers ("you"), reminding them of their state before encountering Christ.
"Dead in your trespasses and sins" signifies spiritual death – separation from God and inability to respond to Him.
Life before Christ was characterized by conformity to the world system ("this world's present path").
This conformity was influenced by Satan ("the ruler of the kingdom of the air"), who empowers disobedience.
Paul includes himself and Jewish believers ("all of us") in this past condition, emphasizing universal sinfulness.
Life was driven by fleshly desires ("passions") and sinful thoughts ("mind desired").
"By nature children of wrath" indicates that humanity's inherent fallen condition incurs God's righteous judgment.
This state was universal ("like the rest of humanity"), affecting both Jews and Gentiles apart from Christ.
The passage establishes the desperate condition from which salvation rescues believers.

Saved by Grace Through Faith

⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us,⁵ even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you are saved! -⁶ and he raised us up together with him and seated us together with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,⁷ to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.⁸ For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God;⁹ it is not from works, so that no one can boast.¹⁰ For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them.

The transition "But God" marks a dramatic shift from human helplessness to divine intervention.
God's actions are motivated by His character: rich mercy and great love (Ephesians 2:4).
God acted while humanity was still spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:5).
Believers are "made alive together with Christ," sharing in His resurrection life.
Paul interjects a core theme: "by grace you are saved!" emphasizing God's unmerited favor.
Believers spiritually share Christ's ascension and enthronement ("seated us with him in the heavenly realms"). This signifies victory, authority, and security in Christ.
God's ultimate purpose is to display the immeasurable riches of His grace for eternity (Ephesians 2:7).
Ephesians 2:8-9 provides a concise summary of salvation: initiated by God's grace, received through faith, not earned by human effort.
Salvation is explicitly stated as a "gift of God" to prevent human boasting.
Believers are God's "workmanship" (Greek: *poiēma*), suggesting a masterpiece created with skill and purpose.
This new creation in Christ is designed for "good works," which are the *result*, not the *basis*, of salvation, prepared by God in advance.

Gentiles Brought Near

¹¹ Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh-who are called "uncircumcision" by the so-called "circumcision" that is performed on the body by human hands-¹² that you were at that time without the Messiah, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Paul urges Gentile believers to remember their former state of alienation to appreciate their current inclusion.
"Gentiles in the flesh" refers to their non-Jewish physical lineage.
The terms "uncircumcision" and "circumcision" highlight the ethnic and religious division, often used derisively. Paul notes circumcision is merely physical ("in the flesh by human hands").
Their previous condition involved five specific disadvantages: without Christ, excluded from Israel's community, strangers to God's promises, without hope, and without God.
This paints a picture of profound spiritual and covenantal separation.
"But now" marks another significant turning point, parallel to "But God" in Ephesians 2:4.
Inclusion happens "in Christ Jesus," the sphere where reconciliation occurs.
Those "far away" (Gentiles) are "brought near" to God and His people through Christ's sacrificial death ("the blood of Christ").

Christ Our Peace: Breaking Down the Wall

¹⁴ For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility,¹⁵ when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace,¹⁶ and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed.¹⁷ And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near,¹⁸ so that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Christ Himself *is* the peace, not just the peace-bringer, embodying reconciliation.
He unified two opposing groups (Jews and Gentiles) into one entity.
Christ "destroyed the middle wall of partition," likely referencing the barrier in the Jerusalem Temple separating Gentiles from inner courts, symbolizing the entire system of separation enforced by the Law.
This barrier represented the "hostility" between Jew and Gentile.
Christ achieved this by "nullifying" the Law's commandments *as a dividing instrument* through His death ("in his flesh"). This doesn't abolish God's moral standards but ends the Law's role in defining covenant status and causing division.
His purpose was to create "one new man" (the Church), a completely new entity, not just Gentiles becoming Jews or vice-versa.
This act established peace between the formerly hostile groups.
Christ also reconciled both groups *to God* in this single body (the Church) through the cross, ending the hostility caused by sin.
Christ "preached peace" through His life, death, resurrection, and the ongoing proclamation of the gospel to both Gentiles ("far away") and Jews ("near").
The result is unified access: both groups approach the Father through Christ, empowered by the one Holy Spirit.

Built Together into God's Dwelling

¹⁹ So then you are no longer foreigners and noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household,²⁰ because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.²¹ In him the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,²² in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Paul concludes by describing the Gentiles' new status using three metaphors: citizenship, family, and building.
They are no longer outsiders ("foreigners," "noncitizens") but full members of God's people ("fellow citizens with the saints").
They belong to God's family ("members of God's household").
The Church is pictured as a building founded on the teaching of the "apostles and prophets" (likely New Testament prophets).
"Christ Jesus himself" is the crucial "cornerstone," the stone that aligns and holds the entire structure together.
"In him" (Christ), the entire structure ("the whole building") is unified and grows.
This growing structure becomes a "holy temple in the Lord," replacing the physical temple as the place of God's presence.
Gentile believers ("you also") are integral parts of this structure, being built together with Jewish believers.
The ultimate purpose is to be a "dwelling place of God in the Spirit," emphasizing the Church as the community where God resides by His Spirit.
This section highlights the corporate identity and unity of believers in Christ.

The Bullet Point Bible

Ephesians 2