A Note from Our Pastor:

“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”

Ephesians 2:5

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

The parenthetical statement with which the Apostle ends this verse, “by grace ye are saved”, is the foundation of everything he has stated prior. The quickening that is performed is rooted in and enabled by the the salvation of God, through Jesus Christ, to his elected people. With all that God does on our behalf, the beginning is his love for us and our salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.

In the verses leading up to this fifth verse, the Apostle has established that prior to regeneration we are dead in trespasses and in sins. Spiritually because we are dead we could not act — we could not do good, we could not seek God, etc. In verse four, the Apostle tells us that God changed that by his actions.

Now in this verse we are told that we are quickened together with Christ. This is an intriguing phrase. It begs the question, did Christ need to be regenerated? Are we made spiritually alive in the same model that was necessary for the Son of God? Clearly, when we understand that Jesus Christ was always fully God while he was fully man this notion falls flat on its face. That being the case, what does it mean that we are quickened together with Christ?

Our regeneration (new birth) is founded in the resurrection of Christ. The Apostle writing in 1 Corinthians 15:14 says, “If Christ be not risen . . . your faith is in vain.” In other words, if Christ is not risen from the grave then there is no application of his blood for our sins. If Christ be not risen, there is no salvation. His death was merely the death of a teacher not of the Messiah.

However, knowing that he is risen and was seen of many, we also understand that our regeneration is founded in that resurrection. We understand that in regeneration the blood of Christ is applied to our lives. That we are given a measure of faith and a desire to serve God. Thus, we can say that we truly are quickend with Christ.

Thanks be to God that even when we were spiritually dead and undeserving, he loved us and made us alive in his Son.

Our Prayers are with you daily,

Brother Jeremiah