Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.
THE MAP: FOR YOU
Theologically, we speak of the difference between chapter one's "plan of Him who works" (1:11) and chapter two's "you he made alive" as Universal Justification and Personal Justification. Certainly there is some overlap in the two chapters. Yet the focus of chapter one is a broad look at the entire history of God's work for the redemption of all people, whereas chapter two is concerned mainly with what He has now done in, among, and with YOU.
This distinction is incredibly important because in a sense chapter one is theoretical and chapter two the practical application. In chapter two Paul describes where we start from, where we are going, and how to get there.
Think of coming across a national park map while hiking. Chapter one is the map itself, chapter two is the big red "here you are arrow" as well as the dotted line indicating the hiking trail, and the final destination.
It is no wonder then that Ephesians chapter two is so often quoted, so closely studied and so hotly debated. For no matter what God may have done, no matter how brave, or noble, or beautiful Christ's death may have been, no matter how mysterious and incredible the incarnation, it is not until God pounds it through our thick skulls that this was indeed done FOR ME that (in Luther's words) the very gates of paradise swing open to us.
The "good news of great joy" announced by the angels is not that the Messiah was born, but that "unto YOU is born ... a Messiah."
