Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--
WHAT GOOD CAN A CORPSE DO?
This may sound like a ridiculous and somewhat macabre question. Most of us would answer: "A corpse can do nothing good." It's true. A dead person can't do anything good (or bad for that matter) because those who are without physical life have no power or ability to do anything.
Since we agree that a physically dead person can't do anything, let me ask my original question another way: "What good can a spiritual corpse do?" Can an unbeliever, a person without faith in Christ, and therefore without spiritual life, do good? Well that depends upon what is meant by good. Do you mean outward good, laudable in the eyes of other men (who cannot see the heart)? Then, yes. Do you mean inward good, good in the eyes of God? Then, NO.
Can a spiritual corpse choose to believe in Jesus?
We are all familiar with the saying "There is no 'I' in 'Team.'" Neither is there an "I" in convert, regenerate, or save. God was the deciding factor in Ephesus and He is in our world today.
It was something in God that was the deciding factor in Ephesus: His mercy, His love, His grace. The credit, the praise, the glory belongs to God, not to the Ephesians, and not to us. He who granted us physical life also sought us and chose us and raised us up to spiritual life through Word and Sacrament.
They were spiritual corpses, dead in sins until GOD made them alive together with Christ.
They were without hope until GOD's undeserved love sent Christ to the cross.
They knew only an imperfect love until the Holy Spirit granted them faith to grasp Christ's love perfect for them.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!
God broke sin's chain and raised us up to spiritual life from spiritual death. He saved us!
