“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 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— 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.” vs1-3

We were just like everyone else. There was no difference in us that we made. We were not better or smatter. We didn’t have more will power.

We might not have sinned like everyone else, but we did, for all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. We were liars and frauds, deceivers and self-righteous… we were murderers and God haters in our heart. Titus 3:2, “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful [worthy of hate] and hating one another.” We didn’t have the love God, so everything was self-motivated, self-seeking, and for self-glory. We ran in unbelief. Some were prostitutes and others were preacher’s wives, but we didn’t know the gospel. Our parental upbringing DID NOT CHANGE our natural condition. After all the sermons, we were spiritually dead and lost.

God, however, saved us out of this condition by our union with Christ. Vs4-6, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” He didn’t wait until we made a decision. In fact, before we were born, we were already saved, because Christ rose victoriously two thousand years ago. Even while we ran in rebellion, we were at the right hand of God, because salvation is what Christ accomplished for us. Yes, salvation is received in time, but it was guaranteed before time began and accomplished in time by Jesus, when God raised Him from the dead. It was finished, as He proclaimed: Sins were paid for, and God’s elect were secure in Paradise.

We have received salvation, but our good works and our faith made no contribution: both of these are the gifts of God. Vs8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” He ordained exactly what good works we’d do before time began, and we fulfill all of them! Vs10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” He gives us repentance, faith, and chastisement. He brings us to the fear of God. He teaches us to fight by faith, encourages us, and opens the door to the throne of grace, where we use Jesus’ name boldly, so that we get the godliness that we need [Deut 20:1-4; John 14:14; Heb 4:15-16].

It was ALL OF GRACE, and grace gets the glory. Therefore, we had to be horrible sinners, utterly lost, and depraved. We had to be responsible for our sins and in willful rebellion. We had to be in a hopeless state, without God, and without strength [vs12]. We had to be guaranteed hell, if He didn’t intervene to save us, but He did it! He set the diamond of His grace against the black backdrop of our sins, so that grace can shine and sparkle! Now, for all of eternity, He’ll show how good He really is, which He could only do by saving sinners! Vs7, “So that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Oh, hallelujah. To the praise of His grace we’ve been predestined for eternal life, and we’ll be in Paradise rejoicing in joy unspeakable. We’ve obtained the highest position - sat down at the right hand of God.