But God—two words that change everything

But God—two words that change everything

Dead men walking fill the world. You look into their eyes, on the street, in the mirror. Dead men with an over-inflated sense of self importance. Dead men with loud voices. Dead men setting their own course. Dead men deceived into believing their good deeds bring something of value to the table. Every man, woman, and child was once a dead man, following the father of lies, giving themselves over to the passions and desires of the world.

But God

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Rich in mercy. Withholding the punishment we deserve. Gifting what we don’t deserve because of love. He loves us. He made us alive. He raises us up. He seats us with him in the heavenly places. He shows us the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness through Jesus.

 

 

Dead in sin

We were dead in our trespasses, bringing nothing to the table, not even the urge to live. Deceived into believing we set our course, but blindly following the rut carved out by the enemy. Existing, but dead. Influencing the world, yet influencing nothing of eternal value. Lulled into a false sense of existence, eyes blind to eternity, and not knowing—or not caring—about what we are missing.

But…

Isn’t that a great word? It changes EVERYTHING. It acknowledges the reality of everything stated before, then sets us in a new direction.

But God, in a great act of grace, gives what we don’t deserve—life through saving faith. He calls. He opens eyes. He gives life. And the dead become alive in Him.

It is not our own doing. It is a gift from God.

Ephesians 2:1-10, “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[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 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, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.