Ephesians 2:1-7 - Homilies By W.f. Adeney

From death to life.

2. The secret . What is the secret of the wonderful reversal of the order of nature that is seen in the spiritual transformation from death to life? The power is put forth by the grace of God, and the method of its influence is through union with Christ.

I. THE POWER THAT TRANSFORMS FROM DEATH TO LIFE IS THE GRACE OF GOD .

1. The power is Divine .

2. The power is put forth by the grace of God . He might leave the dead to bury their dead, and concern himself only with fresh new lives. But he has infinite pity even for the dead. Nothing but grace could inspire such pity. For we have no claim upon God after we have become" by nature children of wrath." We must look for the motive in the love of God alone. But that love is so great that it is a very treasure-house of mercy. God is "rich in mercy." Then our very helplessness appeals to his compassion. The more dead we are the more will God desire to quicken us.

II. THE MEANS THROUGH WHICH THE GRACE OF GOD TRANSFORMS FROM ' DEATH TO LIFE IS UNION WITH CHRIST .

1. All through the history of the wonderful process, St. Paul traces, step by step, the progress of the Christian , in the very experience through which Christ went .

2. This experience is realized by our union , with Christ in faith . It is vain and hopeless to attempt to follow Christ by painfully attempting an exact imitation while we are going alone and in our own strength. The way is too dark, too steep, too rough. And this is not what is expected of us. But if we trust Christ our faith unites us to him, and by the influence he puts forth over us he carries us along with him; so that through him we receive the gift of life from the grace of God.—W.F.A.