Ephesians 2:3-5 (KJV)
“Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”
The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). That means that our sins have caused a separation between us and God (Isaiah 59:2) and the result is death (Rom. 6:23) and wrath (Eph. 2:3). The only way to be saved from the wrath of God is to be saved by having faith in Jesus Christ. (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 5:1)
Transformation literally means “to have a form altered.” This is a radical change from the inside out. We can only achieve this state of “metamorphosis “by the operation of the Holy Spirit’s renewing our minds. You are embarking upon a process of” personal awakening and resurrection.” Start to renew your mind today by forsaking the worldly system and placing your trust in the Word of God.
Before becoming Christians, we all came from different backgrounds. Some of us were at our worst end and didn’t know where to turn. Some of us like the apostle Paul were drawn by God. Some of us grew up in the church knowing Christ. But it makes no difference how we came into the Kingdom of God. All we need to know is that until we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were spiritually dead. Spiritually dead is being separated from God. We could not understand spiritual truths. We become spiritually alive only after we believe the truth about Jesus and are willing to yield ourselves to Him.
You are not the same person you were before you came to Christ. When you come to Christ you turned your life around 180 degrees. You see things differently and you have a new beginning. You can’t live your life the same way as before you were transformed into a new creation. You turned your back on the old way of life and headed in the new direction towards Christ.
We compare this metamorphosis to when we change from being in the world to being in Christ. The “new man” is comparable to a grain of popcorn: it is the same grain, but it has gone through an amazing transformation. What the heat does for the corn; the grace of God does for us. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We are transformed from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to the power of God.
You must live your life in obedience, for obedience changes our relationship with God and obedience brings a greater degree of personal purity. Obedience demonstrates our sincere love for each other. We must think with a new attitude. Faith and repentance involve the mind, and repentance begins in the mind. Our minds should be disciplined to accept the things of God.
We must die to self and not indulge in former evil practices. We must lead our lives with proper goals. (Romans 12:1-2)
There are Christian who are spiritually dead. The spiritually dead are blinded by this world with their lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. They don’t care for the things of the spirit. They spend their entire time talking about earthly things like food, entertainment, sex, and comfort. If they do speak on the spiritual it is out of ignorance and in the comfort of a god that is made up living only in their imaginations.
God’s grace is sometimes defined as unmerited favor. God’s grace goes far beyond our understanding. It is the very nature of God, who is defined as love, to pour out His love upon His people in a way and in a measure that is both undeserved and unexpected.
Romans 6:23 (NKJV)
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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