1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

2 in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

3 All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.

4 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

7 in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God

— Ephesians 2:1-8

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

While Ezekiel’s vision foretells God’s plans for the people of Israel, believers recognize the illustration of salvation evident here. Adam and Eve rebelled against God, bringing sin’s condemnation upon all humanity. Since then, everyone is born physically alive but spiritually dead. People remain unresponsive to God until the Holy Spirit awakens their hearts to look to Christ for salvation. Regeneration is the Holy Spirit’s work that infuses eternal life into someone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. This new birth fills a spiritually dead individual with new life.

Without a regenerated heart, a person remains as spiritually dead as the dry bones in Ezekiel’s vision. Humans are all marred by sin’s corruption that we fail to seek and surrender to God. Self-will and rebellion against God leave us in sin. Without God’s intervention, we remain dead in our sin. But God’s power overcomes death with new life. God’s Word declares His truth and offers new life to the spiritually dead. His Spirit imparts His life to us. Believers then live energized by new life flowing into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Only God can bring life to us by His Spirit and for His glory.