You were dead...

So I'm preaching through the book of Ephesians right now. We've finished Chapter One and tomorrow night, we begin Chapter Two. There's so much great stuff in Ephesians. If you're reading this, you're probably well aware of my obsession with the Gospel (after all, if we have to have an obsession, why not a healthy one?). Ephesians is so rich with Gospel content.

There's tons of great stuff in Ephesians, but the first two chapters are basically a Gospel exposition. Chapter One talks about salvation from God's perspective. Chapter Two shifts and looks at it from man's perspective.

Chapter Two starts "You were dead..." That's the starting point of the Gospel. We are sinners. We must come to grips with our own sinfulness if we are to be saved. In Mark 1:15, Jesus says "Repent and believe in the Gospel..." In order to come to a point of repentance, we must be aware of our sinfulness.

So many in the evangelical world don't deal with sin. I've heard "Gospel Presentations" that don't discuss sin. If you don't start with sin, you never get to the point where you need a Savior.

This morning, I was reading in 1 Corinthians and saw something I've not seen before. In 1 Cor. 10:13 it says "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability , but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." We've all heard this verse many times. It's certainly encouraging to know that God will hold back temptations that are more than we can withstand. The flipside to that coin, however, is that we no longer have any excuse to sin. God always gives us a way out. Sin is not something a believer must do. We are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness. God has given us "...all things that pertain to live and godliness, through the knowledge of him..." (2 Peter 1:3)

Plant that in the back of your mind. Let it simmer there for a bit. You CAN go through today without sinning. God has not only promised to give you a way to avoid sinning, but He has also given you everything you need to live a holy life.

THAT encourages me.

Seeking Him,
Rob
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