There is Life out of Death

For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
Ephesians 2:14-16

Paul doesn’t exactly begin the 2nd chapter of Ephesians on a positive note. We were dead people. Dead, dead, dead. We were dead in our transgressions and sins and being dead had no means or power with which to restore life. Dead is dead. It is not a state of being, it is a state of “non-being.” Paul states clearly that in that condition we were not only separated from God and controlled by another…the prince of the power of the air...but that we were against God.


There’s a graphic story in scripture of a man whose picture probably should be in the margin of this passage. His story is found in the Gospels. We know him simply as the demoniac. [Mark 5] He lived in among tombs in the cemetery…ran around naked frightening folks…broken chains rattled on his arms and legs…he cried out day and night in torment. He was very much alive, but at the same time, very dead. He needed help...he needed to live again...in the worst way.


Jesus’ boat rowed ashore and he ran to the boat and called out to Jesus. And Jesus did the most wonderful thing. He cast the demons out of the man and made him well. When the people saw what had happened they were frightened and asked Jesus to leave immediately. But the man who was changed asked the opposite; he wanted to go with Him.


Isn’t that what we read in verse Ephesians? But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:4-6


What was it that Jesus brought to this demoniac and to us that has made possible this new relationship with God? It is PEACE! Look at what Paul says in Ephesians 2: 17-18: AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.


Gentile or Jew, slave or free, man or woman, black or white, brown or olive...we have our peace with God and have been brought from death to life by the same cross! There is no other requirement to know life and peace than to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved! Life came out of His death and peace now reigns in our new relationship with God.


May we never forget the great gift of God in Christ that has brought us peace with God and access to His throne!
Scripture to Claim:
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2