In Ephesians 2:1-10 we find three helpful things to remember as Christians: our prior state, our salvation by God’s grace, and the good works God has recreated us to walk in. Apart from faith in Christ all mankind finds themselves in a grotesque state. Because of sin they are hopeless and helpless. This is the state we as Christian’s all once found ourselves in. This should cause us to walk in humility because there is only one reason we no longer find ourselves in that state. And that is God’s grace. While we were dead in our trespasses and sins God made us alive together with Christ. He saved us from our prior state along with the wrath we deserved and gave us new life through faith in Christ. This is a gift and should cause us to praise God as we remember His kindness towards us. We should also remember that He has re-created us to walk in the newness of life that He has planned for us. We do this not out of a desire to earn salvation, but because we already have salvation through faith in Christ.
As we continue to study the Book of Ephesians, Paul reports on his prayers for the church at Ephesus. He desires that the recipients of his letter would have a precise and personal (“epignosis”) understanding of God Himself. Paul also records several truths that he wants his readers to KNOW. We should always be reminded of what we have in Christ Jesus.
In Christ we have become God’s special possession. We exist for Him and His glory. We have become this because God in His sovereignty has predestined us to this end. As a result of knowing the God who controls all things and what He has done for us through the Cross we can trust Him. The more we know of His character and love for us the more we will enjoy him. The more we enjoy Him the more His name will be praised. This is the chief end of man, and this is why he has made us His. To enjoy Him and glorify Him. As a result of being God’s special possession, we have an inheritance to look forward to. He has given us His Spirit as a guarantee of this. Yet, we will ultimately obtain this when He completes his redemption of us and we inherit heaven. There we will fully enjoy God for all of eternity.
Everyone understands a parent’s natural affection for her child; also the beauty and usefulness (for multiplying and filling the earth) of romantic love, but it seems that very few moderns recognize the value of genuine friendship.
True spirituality manifests itself in certain dominant desires. These are ever-present, deep-settled wants sufficiently powerful to motivate and control the life
Caz Church seeks to be above reproach in our stewardship of God’s financial resources given to the local church. We maintain an open book policy and choose to hold quarterly business meetings where all members can attend and have access our to financial information.