he riches of God's grace towards men, shown from their
deplorable state by nature, and the happy change Divine grace
makes in them. (1-10) The Ephesians called to reflect on their
state of heathenism. (11-13) And the privileges and blessings of
the gospel. (14-22)
Verses 1-10: Sin is the death of the soul. A man dead in trespasses and
sins has no desire for spiritual pleasures. When we look upon a
corpse, it gives an awful feeling. A never-dying spirit is now
fled, and has left nothing but the ruins of a man. But if we
viewed things aright, we should be far more affected by the
thought of a dead soul, a lost, fallen spirit. A state of sin is
a state of conformity to this world. Wicked men are slaves to
Satan. Satan is the author of that proud, carnal disposition
which there is in ungodly men; he rules in the hearts of men.
From Scripture it is clear, that whether men have been most
prone to sensual or to spiritual wickedness, all men, being
naturally children of disobedience, are also by nature children
of wrath. What reason have sinners, then, to seek earnestly for
that grace which will make them, of children of wrath, children
of God and heirs of glory! God's eternal love or good-will
toward his creatures, is the fountain whence all his mercies
flow to us; and that love of God is great love, and that mercy
is rich mercy. And every converted sinner is a saved sinner;
delivered from sin and wrath. The grace that saves is the free,
undeserved goodness and favour of God; and he saves, not by the
works of the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus. Grace in
the soul is a new life in the soul. A regenerated sinner becomes
a living soul; he lives a life of holiness, being born of God:
he lives, being delivered from the guilt of sin, by pardoning
and justifying grace. Sinners roll themselves in the dust;
sanctified souls sit in heavenly places, are raised above this
world, by Christ's grace. The goodness of God in converting and
saving sinners heretofore, encourages others in after-time, to
hope in his grace and mercy. Our faith, our conversion, and our
eternal salvation, are not of works, lest any man should boast.
These things are not brought to pass by any thing done by us,
therefore all boasting is shut out. All is the free gift of God,
and the effect of being quickened by his power. It was his
purpose, to which he prepared us, by blessing us with the
knowledge of his will, and his Holy Spirit producing such a
change in us, that we should glorify God by our good
conversation, and perseverance in holiness. None can from
Scripture abuse this doctrine, or accuse it of any tendency to
evil. All who do so, are without excuse.
Verses 11-13: Christ and his covenant are the foundation of all the
Christian's hopes. A sad and terrible description is here; but
who is able to remove himself out of it? Would that this were
not a true description of many baptized in the name of Christ.
Who can, without trembling, reflect upon the misery of a person,
separated for ever from the people of God, cut off from the body
of Christ, fallen from the covenant of promise, having no hope,
no Saviour, and without any God but a God of vengeance, to all
eternity? To have no part in Christ! What true Christian can
hear this without horror? Salvation is far from the wicked; but
God is a help at hand to his people; and this is by the
sufferings and death of Christ.
Verses 14-18: Jesus Christ made peace by the sacrifice of himself; in
every sense Christ was their Peace, the author, centre, and
substance of their being at peace with God, and of their union
with the Jewish believers in one church. Through the person,
sacrifice, and mediation of Christ, sinners are allowed to draw
near to God as a Father, and are brought with acceptance into
his presence, with their worship and services, under the
teaching of the Holy Spirit, as one with the Father and the Son.
Christ purchased leave for us to come to God; and the Spirit
gives a heart to come, and strength to come, and then grace to
serve God acceptably.
Verses 19-22: The church is compared to a city, and every converted
sinner is free of it. It is also compared to a house, and every
converted sinner is one of the family; a servant, and a child in
God's house. The church is also compared to a building, founded
on the doctrine of Christ; delivered by the prophets of the Old
Testament, and the apostles of the New. God dwells in all
believers now; they become the temple of God through the working
of the blessed Spirit. Let us then ask if our hopes are fixed on
Christ, according to the doctrine of his word? Have we devoted
ourselves as holy temples to God through him? Are we habitations
of God by the Spirit, are we spiritually-minded, and do we bring
forth the fruits of the Spirit? Let us take heed not to grieve
the holy Comforter. Let us desire his gracious presence, and his
influences upon our hearts. Let us seek to discharge the duties
allotted to us, to the glory of God.
he riches of God's grace towards men, shown from their
deplorable state by nature, and the happy change Divine grace
makes in them. (1-10) The Ephesians called to reflect on their
state of heathenism. (11-13) And the privileges and blessings of
the gospel. (14-22)