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Lenten Observations, March 14, 2026: Ephesians 2:1

 2:1 -  And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins

Since three key words are italicized in the first clause, I go to other versions and the Greek. 

NIV: As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, . . . The idea of being made alive reappears in verse 5. 

The other major versions, NASB, ESV, and Holman, do not provide the italicized words because they aren't there in the Greek. 

There's a rather cliched statement, "Jesus did not die to make bad people good but to make dead people alive." Well, He did both, but the New Testament idea of the unconverted being dead cannot be overlooked. How were we dead? In trespasses and sins, and the next verses show the extent of it. This is just one more way that the New Testament makes a clear distinction between believers and non-believers. God sees a clear difference even if it's not always visible to those around us. However, I imagine today the difference is more visible than in the past. People in general have more leeway to live as they please today, letting their desires be more well known. And we talk about it. 

But again, how were we dead? We did not have the indwelling Holy Spirit. We could also say we didn't hear the gospel in a way that we believed, we didn't care about Christ, we didn't think about spiritual things. That may or may not be true. Lots of very religious people live strict lives with concerns about spirituality but do not know the gospel of Christ. Again, it is a distinction God can see but humans, not as well or at all. 

When one is converted, one knows, though. There is an internal witness to life within. In the next verses the deadness is connected to following the way of culture and the world (at that time, open idolatry that could get pretty salacious). More on that Sunday. It is enough that we passed from death to life in a way we might not be able to fathom, just as Lazarus probably never figured out what happened to him.

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