Alive with Christ
Who are you?
You might self-identify based on your profession as an engineer, a nurse, or a teacher. You could claim titles based on your relationships as a mother, brother, or child. You could even be known by the qualities of your character or personality as someone who is funny, smart, or determined.
We are all known by so many things—I’m an assistant pastor who enjoys photography and plans to be a husband soon.
But who are you really? When you strip away your job, relationships, hobbies, and habits, who are you?
As a Christian, you embody certain qualities. Your identity is deeply rooted in something entirely other. Your person should be visibly changed by an invisible transformation that happened when you placed your faith in Christ.
You were once identified by a tragic reality, but now you are changed from the inside out into something most beautiful!
Ephesians 2:4-5 says,
“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….”
If you are a child of God today, you are quickened.
Now, you might be thinking, “What does that mean? Can I run faster once I believe the gospel?”
Well, no it doesn’t. It actually means to be “made alive!”
You have been made alive. You ARE alive!
And this life is not your own, it is life with Christ—a life He supplies, a life He infuses, a life He uses to display His goodness to the world.
This is your Christian identity.
If you have never believed in the gospel, then this does not apply to you today. I hate to say it but you are still dead in your sins if you have not made the choice to put your faith and trust in Jesus to save you from your sins and give you eternal life.
But, there’s great news for you! You can make that choice to believe in Christ today and experience real life with Him.
I’m talking today to everyone who is alive. You are no longer dead and decaying. You have life, and I want to tell you from Ephesians two what kind of life you have with Christ!
But first, let’s begin with who you were before this life was given to you.
Your Death
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”
Ephesians 2:1
Based on Ephesians 2, here’s a summary of your identity before you were made alive with Christ:
You were dead. (v. 2a)
You were on the same path as the rest of the world. (v. 2b)
You were powerless against Satan’s temptations. (v. 2c)
You were living by your sinful desires and thoughts. (v. 3a)
You were identified by your destiny of wrath. (v. 3b)
“The Prince of the Power of the Air” is who we fight against—Satan and his army of demons with varying authority and rank under his command (Ephesians 6:12). He is called a prince, a ruler, one with authority, and he is a prince over the power of the air, the powerful influence that moves those in the course of this world to rebellion, just as he rebelled against God.
He is the spirit that works in, influences every child of disobedience who has yet to be made alive as a child of God.
Do you see it around you? Do you notice the satanic influence?
Look at the attitude of rebellion in younger age groups.
Look at the most famous musicians and the images and styles they portray.
Look at the movies being made that glorify demons as a thrill to be enjoyed rather than a danger to avoid.
Look at the hatred and confusion that pervades every aspect of our culture.
Look at the policies being promoted by world leaders.
Look at the number of abortions in America.
Look at the violence that takes place every day.
Look at the racism that divides societies.
Look at the jokes that are laughed at the most.
Do you see Satan’s hand there?
If you don’t, then it’s time to wake up and realize he’s been there behind the world’s system the whole time! And this is the influence that guides our path before we are made alive.
This seals our destiny as the recipients of an inheritance, not of God’s love and goodness, but of God’s wrath!
This deathly prison of sin, Satan’s influence, and certain wrath to come was your home. You had no life to live, and the world’s promise of “life” is only the temporary pleasure of rebellion against a good and holy God.
So God, in His love, offered you something infinitely greater—REAL LIFE!
Your Life
“Even when we were dead in sins, [God] hath quickened us together with Christ”
Ephesians 2:5
In our state of sinful imprisonment, God still showed us His love and grace!
In verse four, we see that God is full of mercy and has multitudes of love. The word “great” in verse four is the same word in all four gospels describing the multitudes of people that Christ had compassion on.
For every person in the multitude, He had more than enough love! And the love He showed them He shows to you today!
Verse five then emphasizes that God has given you life with Christ. This was only by His grace, a favor on your life that you didn’t earn.
Then if life wasn’t enough, the gift of God continues in verses 6 and 7 where it teaches us that God resurrected us with Christ and will show us His full grace and kindness because of Christ!
And if you ever reach a point in your pride where you claim to have earned these eternal blessings from God, verses 8 and 9 describe to us that God’s grace saved us, not our works. Yes, it was through faith, but our faith doesn’t save us. It simply opens the door to God’s grace that saves us.
It could never be our actions that save us, so we really have nothing to boast of.
This life God has given you is a miracle of transformation.
You are not identified as a child of wrath or disobedience. Even while you were identified by those sinful consequences and everything about you was wrapped up in sin, God loved you enough to pay for your sin and offer you His life instead.
Now, you are a child of God, a new person with a new identity and a new purpose!
Your Purpose
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10
You are a masterpiece in God’s hands. He is molding you, shaping you, removing the bad and creating good in the deepest parts of who you are.
How does He do this?
Through blessings — He will give you wonderful things that teach you of His goodness.
“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” (Psalm 34:8)
We can learn of God’s character and be changed by the blessings He supplies.
Through trials — God grows us through pain and sorrow to remove those aspects of our character that we normally wouldn’t give up. He grows beautiful character in your heart that so obviously resembles Christ that you cannot help but be a light to this dark world.
Job learned this lesson: “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)
Whether it be in blessings or trials though, God will always mold us through a relationship with Him. He is not distant. He is speaking to you, teaching you, loving you, walking with you even when you can’t see Him or feel Him.
He gives you the opportunity to reach out to Him by faith and learn who He is through every situation and circumstance.
That’s what James speaks of: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (James 4:8).
So why are you this masterpiece? Why is God forming and shaping you in this way?
The purpose is plain in verse ten—you are created for doing good things, and you were made for this purpose before you ever knew you were.
Here’s how this new purpose flows:
You were dead.
Christ gave you His life.
He is living this life in you.
This life you now live in Christ will now match His purpose.
God prepared your life beforehand so that you can fulfill your purpose through the life He is giving you!
You were once dead, but in love, God gave you His life and is giving you the ability to fulfill your purpose for His glory!
So, what now?
You might be wondering now, “What am I supposed do about this? These truths sound great, but what is my next step?”
Are you unsaved?
You are still dead, trapped in sin, under Satan’s control and the control of your own sinful desires. Decide right now whether you want real life. Decide right now whether God’s purpose for you is better than the temporary pleasures of sinning against Him.
If you know you aren’t saved, confess to God that you are a sinner and that you stand before Him condemned to death. Then, ask Him to show mercy to you and give you life with Christ.
Believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died for you and that He came back to life. Tell God that you believe that and ask Him to save you from death and give you life.
His promise is to give you that life and lead you in your new purpose.
Are you saved but feel stuck in sin?
Remember who you are in Christ.
The sins that you keep running back to don’t match your new identity. You can’t enjoy sin because Christ is living in you, convicting you each time.
Confess your sin, agree with God that it is wrong, and ask for His strength to overcome it.
Choose to read God’s Word daily, pray consistently, and ask other Christians for help and support in your struggle. That’s part of our purpose as Christians.
Remember that nothing separates you from God’s love, not even sinning against Him a thousand times in a row.
Romans 6:2 says, “How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
Sin does not have to have a hold over you, and it may be time to make some serious life changes to cut that sin out of your life.
Jesus said we should be willing to amputate sin like a diseased limb! It’s painful, but necessary and worth the sacrifice.
Are you saved and displaying your life with Christ?
Keep it up! Don’t hide this life of yours.
Let everyone know you are alive and that they can be alive too.
Let your joy be contagious, let your passion be convicting to others, and let your obedience be consistent.
Don’t quit on your purpose when you feel alone, persecuted, or don’t know what’s next. God’s plan for you is still unfolding, and there is joy through every lesson you get to learn.
You were once dead, but now you are alive in Christ.
You are loved, transformed, and given a purpose that cannot be shaken.
So, walk in this life with Christ and let the whole world see that with Christ anyone can have real life.
Pastor Leevi Stumpf
