Day 170 – Tuesday, August 26, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Ephesians 2

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

By Grace Through Faith

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 

(Ephesians 2:1–10, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Paul began this chapter with a declaration that the life Christians have and live was given by the gracious action of the Lord. We were dead, but now are alive. We were once bound by the evil leader of this world. We were filthy and satisfied our own lusts.
• But God…. What a great transition that describes the work of God in our lives for salvation. God, in mercy, loved us, in spite of our sinfulness. He made us alive and gave us a seat at His table. He gives us great things, beyond rich, because He loves us.
• The well-known passage speaks to the means of salvation, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Salvation is a gift given in response to faith. That is the whole of salvation. He has made us what we are, not we ourselves.

Brought Near by His Blood

¹¹ Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

(Ephesians 2:11–13, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• All of us were far from Christ, without Him, and were brought near by the blood of Christ.

Christ Our Peace

¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 

(Ephesians 2:14–18, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus is our peace. He broke down all the obstacles to our salvation.
• He made peace between God and man by paying the price for our sins.
• He reconciled us and made it possible for us to have relationship with God. Through Him we have access by the Holy Spirit.

Christ Our Cornerstone

¹⁹ Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. 

(Ephesians 2:19–22, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Through faith in Christ, we become family, citizens of the kingdom of God, members of the household.
• We are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, all of which are built on Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone.
• We are the temple of God, a dwelling place for the Most High, all because of Christ.

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.