Themes of Ephesians 2 surface again in Romans 5, which should come as no surprise, considering the source. We who needs be reminded often are able to learn once again a deeper truth concerning the principle set forth here, namely, that when we are at our worst, God did his best.
We often use the phrase, “I did my best,” when we return to the dug-out after striking out;
Or when scooping up the casserole off the floor between the kitchen and dinner table;
Or realizing that all the time you spent caulking the bathroom, you used the wrong caulk.
Not so with God. When He gave His best, that’s all He had and He accomplished all He set out to do in giving His best. There was no defeat on His part. Look at what Paul wrote:
- We were dead in trespasses and sins (Eph 2), without strength (Ro 5);
- He made us alive in Christ Jesus (Eph 2), who died for the ungodly while we were still sinners (Ro 5);
- He in his rich mercy loved us (Eph 2), demonstrating that love in Christ’s death (Ro 5);
- We were children of wrath (Eph 2) and are saved from His wrath by His blood (Ro 5);
- We are made alive in Christ (Eph 2), reconciled to God (Ro 5);
- We are saved through faith (Eph 2) by His life (Ro 5).
God makes sons out of enemies those who by faith in the shed blood of Jesus die to sin and enter in to new life. He brings alive those who are dead in sin—He does not wait until we deal with sin. Ever heard the expression, “turning over a new leaf?” Well, God doesn’t do that—He makes a new leaf.
The story goes that Socrates was once asked concerning his country of origin, to which he replied, “I am a citizen of the world.” The Christian can only say he or she is the citizen of heaven because he is moved from earth to heaven through faith in the captain of his salvation! We are not caught in between, stranded without citizenship like someone stranded in an airport terminal.
