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NASB | Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 2:5 even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace--His undeserved favor and mercy--you have been saved from God's judgment). [Rom 6:1-10] |
Subject: Thanks, but what about....? |
Bible Note: Thanks again, gentlemen. I appreciate your answers. It is hard for us, even as Christians, to understand some of these spiritual truths because, for the most part, we operate in a natural world. From the time of our birth, we are taught to trust only what we can perceive with our senses or figure out with our intellect. And neither our senses nor our intellect can completely understand spiritual things. I believe that is one of the reasons that God gives us the Holy Spirit. One of the things He does it to take the things of Christ and make them known to us. Charis, thanks for your input. I especially like what you said about God being bigger than our understanding of salvation. That's true. Our salvation cannot be greater than our Savior. The heat of the sun is not greater than the sun. The effect of something is never greater than the cause. I agree that, from God's perspective, we are saved as a single event. And we are now seated with Him in the heavenlies. Why do I think it so? Because that is what He says. My faith has to go beyond the constraints of my intellect and ability to put everything in nice, neat little boxes. Also, as proof of what God has done for us, He seals us with the Holy Spirit. As far as I can tell, all mentions of this sealing are in the past tense i.e. you were sealed. I believe that this is our guarantee of salvation. Steve, thanks for your input, brother. I appreciate that you are still willing to respond to my questions in spite of our little tangle on forgiveness. Thanks for the illustration. Here is a variation of that story I've have heard: A man is floating, face down, dead in the sea of his sins, Rom 5:12, Eph 2:1. His sins are what killed him, Rom 6:23. Jesus comes along and sees him floating there, dead as a door-nail. Of course, Jesus, being God, doesn't need a boat :). He lifts the man out of the sea of sins and breathes new life back into the dead corpse, 2 Cor 5:17; Rom 8:1,2. Christ carries the man safely back to shore and home. As I said, illustrations always fall short somewhere but they can paint beautiful word pictures for us. Thanks again, Resting in His arms already, Bill Mc |