The spiritual condition that Christians were in before their conversion to Christ, is perfectly explained in the epistles to the Ephesians, where it is written: ‘You were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of the world and of the rulers of the kingdom of the air, the spirit that is now at work in those that are disobedient. All of us (Christians Jews) lived among them (Gentiles) at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest (the Gentiles) we were by nature objects of wrath. In other words, the state of all, Jews, and Gentiles, was hopeless. All are sinners, utterly corrupt in the eyes of the judge of all flesh. BUT because of his great Love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace we (Jews and Gentiles) have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (it is a done thing) in order that in the coming ages, He might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you (Jews and Gentiles) have been saved, through faith – (in Jesus-Christ) and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift from God – not by works, (Nothing that we could have done) so that no-one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ to do good works, (by obedience to the Holy Spirit) which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2: 1-10) 

We can but stand amazed and greatly blest, with what we learn through these few verses, and after all this amazing revelation, it is only the Holy Spirit that still does continue to convince Christians of what God has really done in them, with them, His elects, even before they heard the truth about Jesus Christ, and now, live rejoicing in the reality of it! God is the one that started this work in His children, and He is the only one that will complete it! For it is written: ‘I (Paul) thank God everytime I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you. I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 1: 3-6) What a blest assurance, to know that the end is as certain as the beginning, because it is the Holy Spirit that will bring it to a sure and definite end, in spite of ourselves!

It is absolutely clear, that in these few verses, we have statements that the calling of men back to Himself, is totally the work of God. The coming of Jesus Christ amongst men is a living proof that God, the Father, took the initiative to make a way for sinners to an everlasting reconciliation, and, a true relationship with Him, even better by far, than the one which Adam lost in the garden of Eden. This new relationship, once established by faith in Christ, cannot ever be broken. Before He made the world, as detailed in the Book of Genesis, God predestined a certain men to be born of the Holy Spirit, and become members of His family, this is the real meaning of these statements. People whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life! It is therefore a folly to think that after that God, who, in His great wisdom and love, found a way to free sinners, like you and me, from the slavery to Satan, to this end Jesus Christ gave His life to redeem them from death, and shed His blood to atone for their sins, for it is in Him alone that we have forgiveness of sins, (Ephesians 1:7) God, the righteous judge of all men, will not accept any substitute to Christ, or offer another way for men to be saved from the curse of sin! Yet people still think that they can, they still try, some even think that there is a purgatory in which one can atone for one’s sins after his death, millions of years, if necessary!! NO1 NO! Such comes thinking straight from Satan, for it is: ‘Christ that died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, that he was buried. That He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.’ (1 Corinthians 15: 3) It was all decided before He ever came among us, therefore, everything about Him is prophesied in the Bible, the Scriptures, it follows that there is nothing that happened to every born again believer that is not according to the Scriptures!