EPHESIANS 2 v 1-22 ; V 1-3. The Gloomy Past V 1. Former CONDITION. ' Dead in trespasses and sins.

' ROMANS I v 23 ; Because that when they knew God they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise they became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man, and to birds and to four footed beasts and creeping things.ISAIAH 59 v 2 ; But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you. Earmarked for a lost eternity In the lake of fire and brimstone, all because they had rejected God as Lord of all. V 2. The Former Course You walked according to the course of this world ROMANS I v 28, 32 ; And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient. V 28. Who knowing the Judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them. All the world Is still very much engulfed in the evil worship described in Chapter one. Our past laid before us, known by God and recorded in the Lamb's book of Life. REVELATION 20 v 12,15 ; And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened, which Is the book of life, and the dead were Judged out of those things which were written In the books according to their works. There Is a consequence to all our actions whether good or bad. In our gloomy past we served the wrong master and worshipped the Idols of man and did those things that displeased God. ROMANS 6 v 16 ; Know you not that to whom you yield yourselves servants, his servants you are to whom you obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. We can surely rejoice that now we serve the true God and are disciples of Jesus Christ. V 3. Former Companions. We all had our conversation in times past In the lusts of our flesh.' Companions who had a bad Influence upon us and kept our minds off Jesus, until the Holy Spirit broke through and rescued us from the grasp of satan. ROMANS 1 v 25 ; Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the creator, who is blessed for ever. V 2. The Former Controller According to the prince of the power of the air. God was so grieved with the evilness of His people that he destroyed them in a great flood, saving only Noah and his family. GEN.6 vl-8 People living in sin, having their own way and rejecting the love of God will also be judged in God's own time. ROMANS 6 v 17 ; But God be thanked that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form o f doctrine which was delivered you. V 4. The Glowing Present. ' In demonstration of the Spirit and power.' The measure of God's intervention ; JOHN 3 v 115-17 ; That whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes In Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved. God paid a great price that His Son was sent to the Cross to shed His life's blood that we might be redeemed from the bondage of serving satan and made free to worship God. V 5 ; Liberation. Quickened us together with Christ.

Great riches at Christ's expense. Through His death and resurrection Christ opened the way for the repentant sinner to have access to God and be reconciled to Him. ROMANS 5 v 12 ; Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom also we have access by faith Into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice In hope of the glory of God. ROMANS 8 v I ; There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. JOHN 8v 31-32 ; Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in My word then you are My disciples Indeed, And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. ROMANS6 v 14 ; For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace. V 6. PARDON. Made us sit together In heavenly places In Christ Jesus. We shall see never see heaven and be with Jesus unless we accept the conditions for a pardon from God. HEBREWS 10 v 16-17 ; This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put My laws into their hearts and In their minds will I write them. And their sins and Iniquities will I remember no more. EPHESIANS I v 7 ; In whom we have redemption in His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. JEREMIAH 31 v 34 ; For I wall forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more . There is every good reason for the Christian to praise God. PSALM 32 v 1-2 ; Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered. V 7. PURPOSE. That He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Jesus Christ. EPHESIANS 1 v 3 ; Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. How good is the God we adore who is generous in pouring His love and blessings upon His children. The Holy Spirit has been sent to us to indwell all believers. He has redeemed us that we might be with Him for eternity. THESSALONIANS 4 v 13-18 ; (16-17) For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. V 8. A Glorious Salvation. For by grace are you saved through faith (In Jesus Christ.) By that enduring faith and trust in Jesus, and what a glorious salvation this is. ACTS 4 v 12 ; Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved. PSALM 13 v 5-6 ; But I have trusted in your mercy , my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing unto the Lord because He has dealt bountifully with me V 9. A Glorious PRESENTATION. Not of works lest any man should boast. Jesus Christ has perfected us and will present His church to God, after the rapture of the Christians to heaven. EPHESIANS 4 v 11-13 ; And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come In the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. We cannot earn or work for our salvation, it is a gift from God, through the Lord Jesus Christ. V 10. A Glorious CREATION. We are His workmanship create din Christ Jesus. The born again believer become a new creation through the shed blood of Jesus, and becomes a new

spiritual person. 2 CORINTHIANS 5 v 17-18 ; Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. New people with a new way of life and a new purpose to bring others to Jesus Christ and into the family of God. V 11. An Unhappy Position. Remember that in time past you were Gentiles in the flesh. While we know that our past life has been repented of and forgiven, and that we should go forth in the name of Jesus, it is also right for us to pause occasionally to reflect what God has saved us from and for. JOHN 5 v 28-29 ; Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth, they that have done good, unto the resurrection of Life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. V 12. Condemnation. 'Being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel.: The apostle Paul had no hesitation in telling his readers Just what they were without God. He gave them ample reason to rejoice and praise God. JOSHUA 24 v 14-15 ; Now therefore fear God and serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood and serve you the Lord. And if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood Or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.. V 13. A Glorious CELEBRATION. But now in Christ Jesus.JOHN 14 v 23 ; Jesus answered and said to Him, If a man love Me he will keep My commandments and My Father will love him and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Let us give God the glory and worship Him In Spirit and in truth. PSALM 103 v 1-5 ; Bless the Lords, 0 my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord 0 my soul and forget not all His benefits. Who forgives all your iniquities who heals all your diseases. Who redeems your life from destruction who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. PSALM 100 V 4-5 ; Enter Into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise, be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord Is good, His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations. V 14. A Glorious REVELATION. He is our peace..... He has broken down the middle wall of partition between us.' Christ's death and resurrection has opened the way for the repentant sinner to have forgiveness of his sins, access to God and a peace that passes all understanding. JOHN 14 v 27 ; Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid. Jew and Gentile can now be one in Jesus Christ. GALATIANS. 3 v 26-29 But you are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you who have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. V 15. A Glorious RECONCILIATION. For to make of Himself of twain one new man so making peace. Formerly without God, but now through the Lord Jesus Christ we are sons and daughters of God. 2 CORINTHIANS 5 v 16,18 ; And what agreement has the temple of God with idols ? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell In them, I will walk in them and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. V 18. And will be a father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. So now we are reconciled to God and have blessings that we had never thought of being able to possess.

PSALM 118 v 19-21 ; Open to me the gates of righteousness and I will into them and I will praise the Lord. This gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter, I will praise You for You have heard me, and have become my salvation. V 16. A Glorious SATISFACTION. Having slain the enmity thereby., JOHN 15 v 12 -14 ; This is My commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends If you do whatsoever I command you. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ draws men of all nationalities together. It offers to unite families and creates a better relationship between master and servant. The command to love one another with the agape love is second to the command to love God. The peace of this world surely requires the full use of the Christian love as inspired by Jesus. What greater satisfaction can we have ? V 17. A Glorious COMPASSION. And came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh. The apostle Paul having accepted Christ as his Saviour was filled with the Holy Spirit of God and a love for the unsaved and other His compassion and resulting actions are carefully recorded in Scripture. When Jesus bade farewell to His disciples he gave them instructions and preach the gospel and heal people, In His name. MATTHEW v 19-20 ; Go therefore and teach all nations, baptising name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world. Let us have some compassion on the sick, the needy and the unsaved. V 18. A Glorious COMPLETION. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. God's work was completed, Christ was crucified and resurrected and the Holy Spirit combined with the Father and the Son to form the Godhead, Thus the Christian has the full power and guidance to go forth and be used in God's service. No more sacrificing animals on the altar for Christ Himself was the only sacrifice necessary for the redemption of mankind. Christ will present His perfect church to God, after the rapture. COLOSSIANS 1 v 28 ; Whom we preach and warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom , that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 2 TIMOTHY 3 v 16-17 ; All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all good works. V 19. A Glorious NATURALISATION. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners. Just pilgrims in a foreign land waiting for the kingdom of God to come and claim this land as His own. 1 PETER 2 v 11 ; Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. If Christ is our Redeemer and King, then we are His subjects waiting for our new home. We became naturalised citizens when we accepted Christ as our Saviour and he has made us a nations of Christians. V 20. A Glorious FOUNDATION. Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone The church founded by Jesus who is the cornerstone, built upon by the apostles and prophets and added to daily a Christians are built into the church of Christ. I CORINTHIANS 3 v 10 ; According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation and another builds thereon, But let every man take heed how he

builds thereupon. MATTHEW 16 v 18 ; And I say unto you , that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Ours is a great privilege and necessity to be a part of the Church of Jesus Christ. V 21. A Glorious SUBMISSION. All the building fitly framed together grows into a holy temple in the Lord. What joy there will be when all the stones are fitted together in the place prepared for them and serving the Lord with gladness. There will be no sin, evil, or quarrelling in heaven and the new earth. 1 CORINTHIANS 3 v 16-17 ; Know you not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you ? If any man defiles the temple of God him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 1 CORINTHIANS 6 v 19-20 ; What, know you not that your body Is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you and which you have of God, and are not your own ? For you are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your Spirit which are God's. So in submitting to God we go where we are placed in His building and work in His vineyard for His glory. We all need to praise God that we are in His family and each one of us has been given at least one gift to use In the service of God and for His glory. V 22. A Glorious HABITATION. In whom you are also builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. JOHN 14 v 1-3 ; Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am there you may be also. DEUTERONOMY 26 v 15a ; Look down from Thy holy habitation from heaven and bless thy people Israel. The holy habitation is where God is, let us look forward to meeting Him after the rapture of the Church. EPHESIANS 2 .V 1-22 ; V1-3. The gloomy past . V 4-10 . The glowing present . .V 19-22. Gloomy prospecrs. V 13 RECONCILIATION ; Where we were AFAR OFF. Where we are ; IN CHRIST JESUS. What we enjoy MADE NIGH. When we enjoy It ; NOW. How we enjoy It. BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more And the morning breaks eternal bright and fair. When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore And the roll is called up yonder I'll be there.