Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:1-10 (Boldly Know)

Food for Thought:

• We Were… (1-3) • In order to make a big deal about God’s grace, Paul reminds us of who we were, what we were a part of, and where we came from.

  • If you can remember, what were you like before you met Jesus? How would you describe yourself? What did you live for? What led your life?

  • How does Paul describe the previous lives of the Christians he’s writing to? Does his description overlap with the way you thought of your previous self ...with the way the world describes those who haven’t been saved? Why or why not?

• …But God Did… (4-9) • The miraculous thing about salvation is that it’s God’s unprompted intervention into history and into our lives. “But God” is a wonderful way to think about grace.

  • How would you describe the gospel in your own words?

  • What does Paul say about the work of God in verses 4-9?

  • If salvation by grace through faith wasn’t a gift, what would it be? How would that change our relationship with God? …relationships with one another?

  • Paul uses the past tense for some of these things. Is it surprising that any of these things are already done in you? Does it make you think of yourself any differently?

  • Paul also talks about what God will do in the future at the end of verse seven. Practically speaking, what does this mean we can expect from God? How can this shape the way we relate to God as we move through this life?

• …So We Are (9-10) • Paul wraps up his thought here by describing who we are now in Christ.

  • How does God describe you now that you’re in Christ? Do you think of yourself (and other Christians) in this way?

  • Consider the contrast between verses 1-3 and 10. How does the saving, creative work of God change you?

  • When you think about the good works that God has prepared ahead of time for you, what do you think of? Does that create a fear of failure in you or an excitement that God has work for you to do? Why?