You were Dead

Ephesians 2:1
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sin,"

My beloved and I are currently doing a book study together and the last chapter pointed out a very important truth that we sometimes forget. It asks the question, "but are we so corrupt that we are totally unable to do any good and inclined toward all evil?". This question is the 8th questions asked from the Heidelberg catechism. It brings up a good point, when the answer to the question is "yes". Let me explain the point.

When were are born we are DOA. This means that when we are physically born to our parents were are already dead on arrival. As Ephesians tells us we are dead in our sins and the state of our being is spiritually dead. When I mean dead I mean we are totally in our entire being dead or depraved. This means first that we are dead through and through, our entire head, heart, and our will. Our entire being with no exception is dead in its state. This also means that we are unable to do anything righteous because our good is not from faith and in love of God but out of a selfish sinful desire. This is our beginning state and the Bible continually reminds us of this fact to make a point. We are dead and without hope in and of ourselves and it is only because of God and what He did and does that gives us any hope from escaping death permanently.

We were dead, but God made us alive through the Spirit. The Catechism states after the yes to questions #8, "unless we are born again by the Spirit of God". So we were dead but with the power of the Spirit we are born again and made alive and find the hope we needed in God. This means that our state of being must change to go from dead to alive. We must take a turn and repent and have a born again life change. As 1 Peter reminds us we must be holy now because God our Savior is holy. The Holy Spirit gives us a breath of life and then gives us a desire for Jesus and a love for Him. We now have a heart change and our life must match this heart change. Our state of being must change from dead in sin and the love of it, to a new birth and a love for Jesus and what glories and praises Him.

We were dead But God made us alive and gives us a new life in Him with a new hope for life in Him. We must not forget this fact so that we can live a life of joy and gratitude to God for what He does for us. And we must not also forget this so that it drives us in earnest to tell others in our lives who are currently dead, of the joy and life that is waiting for them in Jesus. Let the Spirit use our lives to bring the knowledge of His new life to others.