Q1. Can a Dead Man Walk, Disobey Or Fulfill His Desires?

Ephesians 2:1-3

Q1. Can a dead man walk, disobey or fulfill his desires? Verses 1-3 of Ephesians 2 give a description of the person who is dead in trespasses and sins. Death is simply separation. Three types of death, or separation, are in the Bible: 1. dead spiritually: man’s soul and spirit is separate from communing with a holy God (holy = without, and separate from, sin). We’re all born into this world spiritually dead, Psalm 51:5. 2. dead physically: man’s soul and spirit becomes separated from his physical body. Physical death is the type we are most familiar with, Hebrews 9:27. 3. dead eternally: when man’s soul and spirit become eternally separated from God. Eternal death begins when one is denied entrance into heaven, Revelation 21:27, and sentenced to hell forever, Revelation 20:15, Matthew 25:46. Those stakes are too high - can you prove from God’s word your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life? Psalm 119:160

Look up Isaiah 59:1-2 Q2. What are 3 effects sin (iniquity) has on someone’s relationship with God? Q3. Does that sound like one of the three types of death?

Turn back to Ephesians 2:1 “And you hath he quickened…” the “you” refers to the same people as “ye” in verse 13 of chapter 1; “quickened” means to be revived or made alive (who alone can do that?). Verse 1 continued, “… who were dead in trespasses and sins;” Q4. Which of the three types of death is that? Q5. What are some ways people try to reconcile themselves with God - attempting to revive themselves spiritually or make themselves spiritually alive? Q6. If our sin is cause for God to hide His face from us (He cannot even look on sin because of His holiness) and for Him to choose not to hear us, can you be sure any of those attempts will work? If the One with whom we need to be reconciled will not look on us or He hear us, then left to ourselves we are hopeless and desperately in need of help or rescue. II Peter 3:9 says “The Lord … is … not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” And I Timothy 2:4 says God “… will have all men to be saved…” So we know it’s not God’s desire that we be left to ourselves, hopelessly without a Help. But for us to be made alive spiritually and enjoy sweet communion with Him forever, that way of reconciliation must be the way God designed and not one of the innumerable ways we might imagine. In John 14:5, Thomas asked Jesus “…how can we know the way?” Check out verse 6 of that passage for Christ’s answer to Thomas. Ephesians 2:4-7

The first few verses of Ephesians 2 describe a person who’s soul and spirit are separate from communion with a holy God (= dead spiritually). Because of the person’s sin against God, Romans 3:23 and Psalm 51:4, God will not hear nor look on any attempt of his to reconcile himself. This person, left to himself is in a hopeless crisis facing the stakes of everlasting punishment. He desperately needs to be rescued (saved) from spiritual death and from experiencing eternal death. Thankfully, verse 4 starts out with, “But God …”

Look at verses 4-6 of Ephesians 2 “But God … even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ…” the “we” again refers to the same people as “ye” in verse 13 of chapter 1; “quickened” still means to be revived or made alive (only God can do that!) Those who trusted in Christ hath been made alive together with Christ. Contrast that with being dead in trespasses and sin, separated from God. Q7. Why did God do this? See verse 4. Q8. Then, by what are ye rescued (verse 5)?

There’s more to what God hath done in verse 6. He “…hath raised us up together [victory over death!]…” Q9. Can you think of any religion or faith whose leader has died and then demonstrated the power to resurrect bodily from physical death? I Corinthians 15:3-8. Again, the stakes are too high to trust in anything less. If you know the words to “Victory in Jesus” I recommend singing them loud enough for all to hear.

There’s even more in verse 6. “…and made us sit together in heavenly places [= existing in Heaven] in Christ Jesus:” We need a very brief grammar session. Q10. What does it mean if a word is in the past tense? Q11. Can you find any past tense words in verses 5 and 6? (once you do, the grammar session is over!) Q12. What do you suppose is going on in Heaven? See verse 7.

Final thoughts In eternity future, those written in the Lambs book of life (Revelation 20:15; 21:27) are sitting together with Christ Jesus in Heaven being shown the exceeding riches of God’s grace. If you like God’s grace from what you’ve read in the Bible (by which we are saved), get this - it will take all of eternity future (ages to come) for Him to show you the rest of it. You can be sure that you will feel compelled to all-out worship and praise Him accordingly! Again, can you prove from the Bible that you’re there?

Challenge: That same God you are sitting together with and worshipping in eternity future is present with you right now. Now and then are different to your perspective, but God inhabits all of eternity, Isaiah 57:15. Is the way you are living today contributing to or taking away from the glory God is receiving from your worship in eternity future??? Revelation 4:11