Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Even when human beings were spiritually dead and utterly destitute of spiritual life under condemnation for disobedience, God who is rich in mercy and moved by great love made them alive together with Christ and united them to him, not because of their goodness or worthiness. That dead state is walking according to the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air, living in the lusts of the flesh and fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, being by nature children of wrath under the control of the powers of darkness. To be saved by grace means salvation is God's free gift, not earned by human effort, merit or works so there is no ground for boasting, and it is received through faith which itself is the gift of God. Being made alive is a radical inward change of the heart by the Spirit, passing from death to life and from darkness to light, in which the heart is cleansed, renewed and born again with every faculty regenerated and new thoughts, feelings and motives implanted. Those so created in Christ Jesus unto good works are raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, to walk in the good works God ordained and to reveal his righteousness in a changed disposition and life of helpful service.
Dead in Sin Described
To be dead in sins is to be spiritually dead, utterly destitute of spiritual life, fallen under condemnation of the law by disobeying God's commands, unworthy and undeserving, and hopeless apart from deliverance through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is to have walked according to the course of this world, following the maxims of men in the footsteps of transgressors of God's law, without loving God supremely or neighbor as self. The human condition in that state cannot be remedied by self, for selfish traits must be cut away and heart, mind and life melted over, changed and transformed by grace into a new heart and spiritual life. Grace is therefore sent in search of sinners who did not seek it, belonging only to sinful human beings and not to sinless angels who never sinned and do not know it, so that human need itself is the qualification and God rejoices to bestow it on everyone who hungers for it, not because of worthiness but because of utter unworthiness. The meaning of being quickened is learned only because of the fall, bringing life and power to reach forth unto holiness.
The dead state is walking in time past according to the course of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air, which is Satan and not Jesus, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. It is having conversation in the lusts of the flesh, living among them and fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and being by nature children of wrath. Those so described were loved by God who is rich in mercy for His great love, who even when they were dead in sins quickened them together with Christ and saved them by grace. That quickening stands opposite taking part with the enemy, calling those bought with a price to glorify God in body and spirit which are God's and to embrace the gospel that makes all who receive it children of God and members of one family with free access to Him as Father.
The unbelieving wicked remain under the control of the powers of darkness. The verse becomes applicable to souls who forsake the wicked way and unrighteous thoughts and return to the Lord to receive mercy and abundant pardon. It applies to Gentiles as well as Jews, for belief in Christ brings salvation to both, and Jews who rejected Christ and were cut off may again share in salvation by receiving Him. It applies likewise to youth led away from God, as to Andrew, where young people who persist in breaking His law need the life and help found through the gospel and training in Christ's school.
Quickened Together with Christ
God who is rich in mercy and moved by the great love with which He loves makes alive those who are dead in sins, joining them to Christ and uniting them with Him in shared life together with Him and not apart from Him. This quickening is not because of their goodness or worthiness, for they are spiritually dead and fallen, but it is salvation by grace as God's free gift and not something earned by human effort, merit or works. Through Christ coming in human nature the fallen may become children of God and share the privileges of God's children, receiving the new life through faith with no ground for boasting.
Christ raises fallen human beings from spiritual death by giving them His own life, filling their hearts with hope and joy so that they may be saved from their sins. This is done by the same Spirit and the same effectual power God displayed in raising Christ from the dead and in bringing life and immortality to light through the gospel. The quickening is the effectual working of Christ's sacrifice, with the cross of Calvary as the great center of redemption, bringing reconciliation for iniquity and the everlasting righteousness the Messiah brought in, with everlasting deliverance to all who walk after Him in separation from the world by enduring to the end and holding the beginning of confidence firm unto the end.
The quickening was made possible because when Adam fell God still desired to reconcile humanity to His unchangeable holiness, justice, truth and law and to give sinners everlasting life instead of perishing. Christ, the Eternal Truth, Light, Life and Sovereign of heaven, offered to clothe His divinity with humanity and to give His life as a ransom for the fallen race, which God in wisdom accepted, revealing a love that passes understanding. This mercy reverses what Adam lost by believing Satan's misrepresentations and disobeying, calling purchased people away from the disloyalty of the world to build character in obedience to His word as laborers together with God. Sin and transgression had made the sacrifice of the Son of God necessary to redeem sinners and restore them to allegiance to God's commandments, for Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, and seeing Him in this work leads sinners to hate the sins that wounded Him, to keep a contrite heart, and to regard Him as a compassionate High Priest.
That love without parallel brought the Son of God from the courts of heaven to suffer and die that people might live through Him. On account of sins He endured the horror of darkness in Gethsemane that forced great drops of blood from His pores, giving reason to mourn that sins caused such inexpressible agony to God's dear Son. His love in dying for sinners has thrown open the gates of Paradise, and that love is the heart of the mystery of redemption, binding human life together with His so that thinking of His sacrifice fills every part of being with desire to serve Him. He loves humanity with great love and solicitude in coming to redeem it, is interested in all actions, desires to mold and fashion people after the divine similitude, and will not rest until every case is decided. True sorrow for sin brings the penitent soul near to the bleeding side of Jesus to plead effectually for pardon and obtain grace to conquer, where the darkened understanding is enlightened, the stony heart is transformed to a heart of flesh, the rebellious sinner is subdued, and the will is brought into conformity to the will of God.
Being quickened together with Christ includes being raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The blessing comes only in Jesus Christ, whose love reaches to the very lowest depths of human woe and misery. It is given that in the ages to come God might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward them through Christ Jesus. God's recovery and uplifting of humanity through that grace reveals His love and mercy, and the redeemed and exalted will display those exceeding riches of grace and kindness through Jesus Christ throughout the ages to come as a testimony to God before angels and humanity. This fulfills His choice of them in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before Him in love, and it belongs to the mysteries God has revealed through His prophets since the promise given in Eden and, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all nations. This grace is the living Word and promise to be believed with greater faith with a firmer hold from above so as not to fail nor be discouraged under Satan's power to discourage and defeat those laboring in God's service, enabling humble men daily learning in the school of Christ to cope with the powers of darkness in every department of the work, for without Christ nothing can be done.
Being quickened together with Christ means new life entering the soul, with a quickening power taking possession of the whole person through faith in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. This gives assurance and guarantee that the living hope will be fulfilled.
Saved by Grace Through Faith
By grace ye are saved means salvation is God's free gift to those spiritually dead in sin made alive together with Christ out of great love and rich mercy, not earned by human effort, merit or works. Through Christ coming in human nature fallen people may become children of God and share their privileges, united with Christ and raised up and seated with Him in heavenly places to display the exceeding riches of His grace and kindness in the ages to come. Because it is gift and not achievement there is no ground for boasting or self-exaltation and no place for reliance on self. Those made alive are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God before ordained that they should walk in them, built together as fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ Himself as chief cornerstone into a holy temple for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Salvation by grace is received through faith, not of self but the gift of God. Faith comes by hearing the word of God, with the Scriptures as the great agency in transformation and sanctification through truth. Christ dwelling in the heart by faith means constant contemplation and beholding of Him, cherishing Him as best and honored Friend and refusing to grieve or offend Him in action.
Grace is God's distinctive mercy and distinctive love for fallen humanity, shown because its recipient is imperfect, undeserving and unworthy, with sin bringing mercy into active exercise. It was sent in search of sinners who did not seek after it, and sinless angels who never sinned do not receive it and do not know it, so its meaning is learned only because of the fall. Human need itself is the qualification that gives assurance of receiving it, not worthiness but utter unworthiness, and God rejoices to bestow it on everyone who hungers for it.
Salvation by this verse is under the Abrahamic covenant, which is the covenant of grace. Grace does not make obedience impossible or unnecessary but gives power to become God's children and to obey His commandments and keep His requirements. It saves from sins, not in sins, calling those who walked in time past according to the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air working in the children of disobedience, living in the lusts of the flesh and fulfilling the desires of flesh and mind as by nature children of wrath, to turn from disobedience to walking with Christ in loving and fearing God and living by every word from the mouth of God, with hope, faith and peace within reach by His merits and access by one Spirit to the Father, so no sinner led by Satan into sin and left naked and trembling need keep away from coming boldly to ask pardon.
God's grace is sufficient and promised to everyone, especially to everyone engaged in His service, making union and cooperation of humanity with divinity possible and blending justice, mercy and love to save all who come to the Saviour. Believers are to claim the promises personally, value and use grace, and not let unbelief keep them hesitant and deprive them of blessing, holding with firmer faith from above so as not to fail nor be discouraged under Satan's power to discourage and defeat laborers, since without Christ nothing can be done. When Satan casts his hellish shadow athwart the pathway to obstruct faith and eclipse light from Jesus the Sun of Righteousness, faith must cleave through that shadow, resting not on feeling but on truth, with the Saviour dwelling in the heart cleansed from all moral impurity to ennoble and sanctify the whole nature and make the person a temple for the Holy Spirit, rooted and grounded in love to comprehend the breadth and length and depth and height and know the love of God. Having once begun the Christian course does not make salvation secure without following on to know the Lord, persevering to the end, enshrining truth in the heart and doing the will of Christ, for to be quickened is to be infused with the Holy Spirit, renewed from death to life, delivered from bondage to self, saved and ennobled with widened and altogether different thoughts working the transformation of the divine image as in the new birth. This life together with Christ by grace is comfort and help to the depressed and assurance to each person dear to the heart of God that He loves them, will not leave them to perish, and holds them with everlasting arms beneath them.
New Heart Transformed Life
Being quickened when dead in sins is a radical inward change of the heart worked by the Spirit of God, like leaven hidden in meal changing it into bread and fitting it for service. It is a passing from death unto life, from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, into the privileges and liberty of the sons of God, raised up to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The change comes through hearty repentance and true faith, with a broken and contrite heart and a felt sense of the offensive character of sin, and it comes from God's goodness and not human goodness, so all praise belongs to him. The sinner thus receives new spiritual life through grace and pardon, takes up new duties in service, and that life becomes true and strong and full of good works.
The heart is cleansed from all impurity and moral impurity, renewed from death to life and born again into the divine image. No new faculties are supplied and identity is not lost, but every faculty is regenerated in its employment, natural inclinations are softened and subdued, carnal propensities are subdued, and new thoughts, new feelings and new motives are implanted. To be quickened is to be infused with the Holy Spirit, delivered from bondage to self, saved and ennobled, with thoughts widened and made altogether different. Faith comes by hearing the word of God, and the Scriptures are the great agency in this transformation and sanctification through truth, with the human instrument cooperating with the divine agency.
Dying to sin and being made alive to new life in Christ Jesus by refining grace changes the natural disposition and elevates fallen man to harmonize with heaven. The carnal-minded unsanctified heart feels no attraction to that pure holy place and would find nothing congenial there, and cannot enjoy the society of pure holy angels without this change, but the quickened are fitted to desire and enjoy heaven and the company of the holy. Selfish traits are cut away and the whole spirit, soul and body brought into subjection to Jesus Christ, which is proved by obtaining the mastery at all times and under all circumstances in home life. The one quickened has divine love filling the heart, a sanctified understanding, drink from an inexhaustible fountain of joy and knowledge, and the light of an eternal day shining upon the path, having the light of life continually. This cannot be accomplished by self, for the human condition is hopeless apart from it, but requires the heart to be melted over, changed and transformed by the grace of Christ, receiving a new heart and spiritual life with self crucified and Christ living within.
Through belief in Christ those made alive together with him may share in the divine nature and escape sin's corruption, for Christ bears and takes away sin so that no sinful propensity need be retained. Belief brings salvation and transforms character, so that the fruits of the Spirit become evident in disposition, words and actions. This salvation is offered to Jews and Gentiles alike.
Those saved by grace are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God before ordained that they should walk in them. The new life in Christ brings new duties in his service and becomes strong and full of good works, always giving evidence to the world in a changed disposition and character marked by meekness, patience, gentleness, long-suffering, tenderness of soul and humble joy that abases self. Such evidence the unconverted in the bondage of Satan, though professing truth, do not know or comprehend. God in great love and mercy gives this life with Christ to people dead in sin, raising and seating them with him, and salvation is by grace received through faith as God's gift, not earned by works.
Revival is a renewal of spiritual life, a quickening of the powers of mind and heart, a resurrection from spiritual death. This quickening must take place under the ministration of the Holy Spirit, and it must blend with reformation, which is a reorganization and a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices, because reformation alone will not bring forth the good fruit of righteousness. By the Spirit's power people dead in trespasses and sins are made alive to hear the words of life. The same quickening applies to the restoration of powers damaged by intemperance and lustful practices, in which people cooperate with God and his Spirit is poured out. Hard, sinful hearts are broken and renewed and made alive in Christ by moral power, which comes when the Spirit clothes words with power and is sought by incessant prayer as the source of success, for without him nothing can be done.
Oneness in Christ's Body
Even when dead in sins, God who is rich in mercy and moved by great love gives life together with Christ, not apart from Christ, and by grace saves. To be so quickened is to be so identified with the Son of God as to be wholly one with Him as He was one with the Father, which is the highest measure of character and contains the richest blessings possible for any human being to enjoy. That oneness places great responsibility on those brought into heaven's vital current, who bear this quickening together with Christ as their testimony. Union with Christ makes believers one in Him, for the same Spirit gives shared life in Christ to those dead in sin, including people of different social stations such as master and slave.
Those made alive are raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come God might show the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward them through Jesus Christ. It is by grace through faith, not of themselves but the gift of God, not of works, making them His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God ordained for them to walk in. Through Christ they are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. They are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ Himself as chief cornerstone, fitly framed together growing into a holy temple and built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Those so quickened are rooted and grounded in love to comprehend the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of God which passes knowledge. The precious Saviour dwells in the human heart cleansed from all moral impurity to ennoble and sanctify the whole nature and make the person a temple for the Holy Spirit. Through Christ hope, faith and peace are within reach by His merits, with access by one Spirit to the Father. This salvation is salvation from sins, not in sins, so no sinner led into sin and then left naked and trembling and afraid need keep away from coming boldly to ask pardon.
The oneness, peace and joint life God gives in Christ calls workers who are not working in harmony away from division into instructive correction. When this grace of Christ abides in the soul it gives the mind of Christ, so those who do not rely on themselves but put trust in power out of and above themselves are enabled to become doers of His words. Those who glimpse the perfection of His character long to become like Him, and appreciating His great mercy and love they practice His lessons and become peacemakers who shall be called the children of God. Drawing nourishment from Jesus the living Vine as branches, they bear the same kind of fruit as the parent stock, work in harmony with God as laborers together with Christ, and through grace are raised up to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Living Out New Life
Christ is willing to make the spiritually dead alive together with himself for all who surrender the will to God, repent, and believe that Jesus pardons them, for no one can overcome sin by personal strength but needs Jesus to take away sins and give peace and pardon. This passing from death to life comes through hearty repentance and true faith, with a broken and contrite heart and a felt sense of the offensive character of sin, turning from disobedience which lies at the foundation of all sin to walking with Christ by loving and fearing God, keeping His requirements, and living by every word proceeding from the mouth of God. Grace works with human cooperation, for God works in the person to will and to do what pleases Him while the person works out salvation, resisting sin and pursuing Christian character. To be quickened is to be infused with the Holy Spirit, renewed from death to life, delivered from bondage to self, saved and ennobled, with thoughts widened and made altogether different in the great transformation of the divine image which is the new birth, and having once begun the course does not make salvation secure without following on to know the Lord, persevering to the end, enshrining truth in the heart and doing the will of Christ.
Receiving this grace means Christ dwelling in the heart by faith through constant contemplation, beholding Him and cherishing Him as the very best and honored Friend so as not to grieve and offend Him in any action. It requires close study and change of heart and character, yoking with Christ to learn His meekness and lowliness, unlocking and opening the heart so He takes possession and His love flows forth in tenderness, courtesy and kindly deeds, for without this reformation and obedience the attributes He came to give are lost. Through faith the person grasps a new life and a new strong hope, which belongs to the one who sanctifies the Lord in the heart. Faith in this grace must not stagger when Satan casts his hellish shadow across the pathway to obstruct faith and eclipse light from Jesus the Sun of Righteousness, but must cleave through that shadow, resting not on feeling but on truth.
God weighs characters, actions, motives, purposes and thoughts of the heart, reading every motive, purpose and thought, and what is needed is not increase of light but surrender of the soul to God, that by the power of His grace He may make the light He has caused to shine into the heart a living principle of action. A splendid temple has no value if the heart is not right, for the central concern is spiritual condition rather than the outward place of worship, and those who by unfair dealing and blocking the advancement of God's kingdom hedge up the way of the work of salvation are weighed in the balances and found wanting.
Those made alive with Christ are to reveal the value of Christ's righteousness through helpful words, pure actions, noble principles, and living the truth as it is in Jesus. God desires His children to show the world what sitting together in heavenly places in Christ means, displaying the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness through Christ Jesus, and He expects that kindness to be brought into their dealings with one another. Those made alive share His burden for souls still dead in trespasses and sins, making personal effort in the name of Jesus to bring them to a knowledge of the truth.
This quickening and exaltation is the privilege of every shepherd of the flock, entered through earnest heart-searching and prayerful seeking to know God and the power of His grace while going after lost sheep with earnest travail for souls. It applies to backsliders who have been working against God, for when they awaken from spiritual stupor and humbly join His work, the Spirit fits them for service, which is the remedy for backsliding. This same truth is a testimony that medical missionaries may bear in the churches.
Those dead in trespasses and sins are convicted and converted and made alive when believers practice the truth themselves and teach it to those who do not know it. Angels cooperate in that work of teaching, the truth becomes a living, working principle in the heart, and as believers communicate to others what they have received, angels communicate fresh and new light to the workers, so that imparting Bible truth to poor souls in the darkness of error is the way to know its reality in personal experience.
The verse is given to comfort and help the depressed, bringing comfort and hope and consolation in God's tenderness toward all who appreciate His love, for each person is dear to the heart of God, loved by Him and not left to perish, with His everlasting arms beneath to give life together with Christ and save by grace. Dwelling on that goodness and great love shown in redemption brings rest of heart and mind, like a tired child in its mother's arms, with His everlasting arms beneath, for in all affliction Jesus is afflicted and the afflicted find refuge in Him. It means being saved from sins, not in sins, so no sinner led by Satan into sin and then left naked and trembling and afraid need keep away from God, but may come boldly to ask pardon, with hope, faith and peace within reach by Christ's merits and access by one Spirit to the Father.
By lifting the believer to enjoy His love and grace God makes believers His lightbearers to the world and channels of light through whom He communicates His blessings of love and mercy and glory. This working in the human agent both glorifies God's name and makes glad His heart as He sees the subjects of His kingdom become such channels, and His heart of love is satisfied when they cooperate with Jesus in the great work of restoring the moral image of God in fallen man.
Even when human beings were spiritually dead and utterly destitute of spiritual life under condemnation for disobedience, God who is rich in mercy and moved by great love made them alive together with Christ and united them to him, not because of their goodness or worthiness. That dead state is walking according to the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air, living in the lusts of the flesh and fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, being by nature children of wrath under the control of the powers of darkness. To be saved by grace means salvation is God's free gift, not earned by human effort, merit or works so there is no ground for boasting, and it is received through faith which itself is the gift of God. Being made alive is a radical inward change of the heart by the Spirit, passing from death to life and from darkness to light, in which the heart is cleansed, renewed and born again with every faculty regenerated and new thoughts, feelings and motives implanted. Those so created in Christ Jesus unto good works are raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, to walk in the good works God ordained and to reveal his righteousness in a changed disposition and life of helpful service.
Dead in Sin Described
To be dead in sins is to be spiritually dead, utterly destitute of spiritual life, fallen under condemnation of the law by disobeying God's commands, unworthy and undeserving, and hopeless apart from deliverance through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is to have walked according to the course of this world, following the maxims of men in the footsteps of transgressors of God's law, without loving God supremely or neighbor as self. The human condition in that state cannot be remedied by self, for selfish traits must be cut away and heart, mind and life melted over, changed and transformed by grace into a new heart and spiritual life. Grace is therefore sent in search of sinners who did not seek it, belonging only to sinful human beings and not to sinless angels who never sinned and do not know it, so that human need itself is the qualification and God rejoices to bestow it on everyone who hungers for it, not because of worthiness but because of utter unworthiness. The meaning of being quickened is learned only because of the fall, bringing life and power to reach forth unto holiness.
The dead state is walking in time past according to the course of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air, which is Satan and not Jesus, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. It is having conversation in the lusts of the flesh, living among them and fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and being by nature children of wrath. Those so described were loved by God who is rich in mercy for His great love, who even when they were dead in sins quickened them together with Christ and saved them by grace. That quickening stands opposite taking part with the enemy, calling those bought with a price to glorify God in body and spirit which are God's and to embrace the gospel that makes all who receive it children of God and members of one family with free access to Him as Father.
The unbelieving wicked remain under the control of the powers of darkness. The verse becomes applicable to souls who forsake the wicked way and unrighteous thoughts and return to the Lord to receive mercy and abundant pardon. It applies to Gentiles as well as Jews, for belief in Christ brings salvation to both, and Jews who rejected Christ and were cut off may again share in salvation by receiving Him. It applies likewise to youth led away from God, as to Andrew, where young people who persist in breaking His law need the life and help found through the gospel and training in Christ's school.
Quickened Together with Christ
God who is rich in mercy and moved by the great love with which He loves makes alive those who are dead in sins, joining them to Christ and uniting them with Him in shared life together with Him and not apart from Him. This quickening is not because of their goodness or worthiness, for they are spiritually dead and fallen, but it is salvation by grace as God's free gift and not something earned by human effort, merit or works. Through Christ coming in human nature the fallen may become children of God and share the privileges of God's children, receiving the new life through faith with no ground for boasting.
Christ raises fallen human beings from spiritual death by giving them His own life, filling their hearts with hope and joy so that they may be saved from their sins. This is done by the same Spirit and the same effectual power God displayed in raising Christ from the dead and in bringing life and immortality to light through the gospel. The quickening is the effectual working of Christ's sacrifice, with the cross of Calvary as the great center of redemption, bringing reconciliation for iniquity and the everlasting righteousness the Messiah brought in, with everlasting deliverance to all who walk after Him in separation from the world by enduring to the end and holding the beginning of confidence firm unto the end.
The quickening was made possible because when Adam fell God still desired to reconcile humanity to His unchangeable holiness, justice, truth and law and to give sinners everlasting life instead of perishing. Christ, the Eternal Truth, Light, Life and Sovereign of heaven, offered to clothe His divinity with humanity and to give His life as a ransom for the fallen race, which God in wisdom accepted, revealing a love that passes understanding. This mercy reverses what Adam lost by believing Satan's misrepresentations and disobeying, calling purchased people away from the disloyalty of the world to build character in obedience to His word as laborers together with God. Sin and transgression had made the sacrifice of the Son of God necessary to redeem sinners and restore them to allegiance to God's commandments, for Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, and seeing Him in this work leads sinners to hate the sins that wounded Him, to keep a contrite heart, and to regard Him as a compassionate High Priest.
That love without parallel brought the Son of God from the courts of heaven to suffer and die that people might live through Him. On account of sins He endured the horror of darkness in Gethsemane that forced great drops of blood from His pores, giving reason to mourn that sins caused such inexpressible agony to God's dear Son. His love in dying for sinners has thrown open the gates of Paradise, and that love is the heart of the mystery of redemption, binding human life together with His so that thinking of His sacrifice fills every part of being with desire to serve Him. He loves humanity with great love and solicitude in coming to redeem it, is interested in all actions, desires to mold and fashion people after the divine similitude, and will not rest until every case is decided. True sorrow for sin brings the penitent soul near to the bleeding side of Jesus to plead effectually for pardon and obtain grace to conquer, where the darkened understanding is enlightened, the stony heart is transformed to a heart of flesh, the rebellious sinner is subdued, and the will is brought into conformity to the will of God.
Being quickened together with Christ includes being raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The blessing comes only in Jesus Christ, whose love reaches to the very lowest depths of human woe and misery. It is given that in the ages to come God might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward them through Christ Jesus. God's recovery and uplifting of humanity through that grace reveals His love and mercy, and the redeemed and exalted will display those exceeding riches of grace and kindness through Jesus Christ throughout the ages to come as a testimony to God before angels and humanity. This fulfills His choice of them in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before Him in love, and it belongs to the mysteries God has revealed through His prophets since the promise given in Eden and, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all nations. This grace is the living Word and promise to be believed with greater faith with a firmer hold from above so as not to fail nor be discouraged under Satan's power to discourage and defeat those laboring in God's service, enabling humble men daily learning in the school of Christ to cope with the powers of darkness in every department of the work, for without Christ nothing can be done.
Being quickened together with Christ means new life entering the soul, with a quickening power taking possession of the whole person through faith in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. This gives assurance and guarantee that the living hope will be fulfilled.
Saved by Grace Through Faith
By grace ye are saved means salvation is God's free gift to those spiritually dead in sin made alive together with Christ out of great love and rich mercy, not earned by human effort, merit or works. Through Christ coming in human nature fallen people may become children of God and share their privileges, united with Christ and raised up and seated with Him in heavenly places to display the exceeding riches of His grace and kindness in the ages to come. Because it is gift and not achievement there is no ground for boasting or self-exaltation and no place for reliance on self. Those made alive are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God before ordained that they should walk in them, built together as fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ Himself as chief cornerstone into a holy temple for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Salvation by grace is received through faith, not of self but the gift of God. Faith comes by hearing the word of God, with the Scriptures as the great agency in transformation and sanctification through truth. Christ dwelling in the heart by faith means constant contemplation and beholding of Him, cherishing Him as best and honored Friend and refusing to grieve or offend Him in action.
Grace is God's distinctive mercy and distinctive love for fallen humanity, shown because its recipient is imperfect, undeserving and unworthy, with sin bringing mercy into active exercise. It was sent in search of sinners who did not seek after it, and sinless angels who never sinned do not receive it and do not know it, so its meaning is learned only because of the fall. Human need itself is the qualification that gives assurance of receiving it, not worthiness but utter unworthiness, and God rejoices to bestow it on everyone who hungers for it.
Salvation by this verse is under the Abrahamic covenant, which is the covenant of grace. Grace does not make obedience impossible or unnecessary but gives power to become God's children and to obey His commandments and keep His requirements. It saves from sins, not in sins, calling those who walked in time past according to the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air working in the children of disobedience, living in the lusts of the flesh and fulfilling the desires of flesh and mind as by nature children of wrath, to turn from disobedience to walking with Christ in loving and fearing God and living by every word from the mouth of God, with hope, faith and peace within reach by His merits and access by one Spirit to the Father, so no sinner led by Satan into sin and left naked and trembling need keep away from coming boldly to ask pardon.
God's grace is sufficient and promised to everyone, especially to everyone engaged in His service, making union and cooperation of humanity with divinity possible and blending justice, mercy and love to save all who come to the Saviour. Believers are to claim the promises personally, value and use grace, and not let unbelief keep them hesitant and deprive them of blessing, holding with firmer faith from above so as not to fail nor be discouraged under Satan's power to discourage and defeat laborers, since without Christ nothing can be done. When Satan casts his hellish shadow athwart the pathway to obstruct faith and eclipse light from Jesus the Sun of Righteousness, faith must cleave through that shadow, resting not on feeling but on truth, with the Saviour dwelling in the heart cleansed from all moral impurity to ennoble and sanctify the whole nature and make the person a temple for the Holy Spirit, rooted and grounded in love to comprehend the breadth and length and depth and height and know the love of God. Having once begun the Christian course does not make salvation secure without following on to know the Lord, persevering to the end, enshrining truth in the heart and doing the will of Christ, for to be quickened is to be infused with the Holy Spirit, renewed from death to life, delivered from bondage to self, saved and ennobled with widened and altogether different thoughts working the transformation of the divine image as in the new birth. This life together with Christ by grace is comfort and help to the depressed and assurance to each person dear to the heart of God that He loves them, will not leave them to perish, and holds them with everlasting arms beneath them.
New Heart Transformed Life
Being quickened when dead in sins is a radical inward change of the heart worked by the Spirit of God, like leaven hidden in meal changing it into bread and fitting it for service. It is a passing from death unto life, from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, into the privileges and liberty of the sons of God, raised up to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The change comes through hearty repentance and true faith, with a broken and contrite heart and a felt sense of the offensive character of sin, and it comes from God's goodness and not human goodness, so all praise belongs to him. The sinner thus receives new spiritual life through grace and pardon, takes up new duties in service, and that life becomes true and strong and full of good works.
The heart is cleansed from all impurity and moral impurity, renewed from death to life and born again into the divine image. No new faculties are supplied and identity is not lost, but every faculty is regenerated in its employment, natural inclinations are softened and subdued, carnal propensities are subdued, and new thoughts, new feelings and new motives are implanted. To be quickened is to be infused with the Holy Spirit, delivered from bondage to self, saved and ennobled, with thoughts widened and made altogether different. Faith comes by hearing the word of God, and the Scriptures are the great agency in this transformation and sanctification through truth, with the human instrument cooperating with the divine agency.
Dying to sin and being made alive to new life in Christ Jesus by refining grace changes the natural disposition and elevates fallen man to harmonize with heaven. The carnal-minded unsanctified heart feels no attraction to that pure holy place and would find nothing congenial there, and cannot enjoy the society of pure holy angels without this change, but the quickened are fitted to desire and enjoy heaven and the company of the holy. Selfish traits are cut away and the whole spirit, soul and body brought into subjection to Jesus Christ, which is proved by obtaining the mastery at all times and under all circumstances in home life. The one quickened has divine love filling the heart, a sanctified understanding, drink from an inexhaustible fountain of joy and knowledge, and the light of an eternal day shining upon the path, having the light of life continually. This cannot be accomplished by self, for the human condition is hopeless apart from it, but requires the heart to be melted over, changed and transformed by the grace of Christ, receiving a new heart and spiritual life with self crucified and Christ living within.
Through belief in Christ those made alive together with him may share in the divine nature and escape sin's corruption, for Christ bears and takes away sin so that no sinful propensity need be retained. Belief brings salvation and transforms character, so that the fruits of the Spirit become evident in disposition, words and actions. This salvation is offered to Jews and Gentiles alike.
Those saved by grace are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God before ordained that they should walk in them. The new life in Christ brings new duties in his service and becomes strong and full of good works, always giving evidence to the world in a changed disposition and character marked by meekness, patience, gentleness, long-suffering, tenderness of soul and humble joy that abases self. Such evidence the unconverted in the bondage of Satan, though professing truth, do not know or comprehend. God in great love and mercy gives this life with Christ to people dead in sin, raising and seating them with him, and salvation is by grace received through faith as God's gift, not earned by works.
Revival is a renewal of spiritual life, a quickening of the powers of mind and heart, a resurrection from spiritual death. This quickening must take place under the ministration of the Holy Spirit, and it must blend with reformation, which is a reorganization and a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices, because reformation alone will not bring forth the good fruit of righteousness. By the Spirit's power people dead in trespasses and sins are made alive to hear the words of life. The same quickening applies to the restoration of powers damaged by intemperance and lustful practices, in which people cooperate with God and his Spirit is poured out. Hard, sinful hearts are broken and renewed and made alive in Christ by moral power, which comes when the Spirit clothes words with power and is sought by incessant prayer as the source of success, for without him nothing can be done.
Oneness in Christ's Body
Even when dead in sins, God who is rich in mercy and moved by great love gives life together with Christ, not apart from Christ, and by grace saves. To be so quickened is to be so identified with the Son of God as to be wholly one with Him as He was one with the Father, which is the highest measure of character and contains the richest blessings possible for any human being to enjoy. That oneness places great responsibility on those brought into heaven's vital current, who bear this quickening together with Christ as their testimony. Union with Christ makes believers one in Him, for the same Spirit gives shared life in Christ to those dead in sin, including people of different social stations such as master and slave.
Those made alive are raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come God might show the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward them through Jesus Christ. It is by grace through faith, not of themselves but the gift of God, not of works, making them His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God ordained for them to walk in. Through Christ they are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. They are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ Himself as chief cornerstone, fitly framed together growing into a holy temple and built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Those so quickened are rooted and grounded in love to comprehend the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of God which passes knowledge. The precious Saviour dwells in the human heart cleansed from all moral impurity to ennoble and sanctify the whole nature and make the person a temple for the Holy Spirit. Through Christ hope, faith and peace are within reach by His merits, with access by one Spirit to the Father. This salvation is salvation from sins, not in sins, so no sinner led into sin and then left naked and trembling and afraid need keep away from coming boldly to ask pardon.
The oneness, peace and joint life God gives in Christ calls workers who are not working in harmony away from division into instructive correction. When this grace of Christ abides in the soul it gives the mind of Christ, so those who do not rely on themselves but put trust in power out of and above themselves are enabled to become doers of His words. Those who glimpse the perfection of His character long to become like Him, and appreciating His great mercy and love they practice His lessons and become peacemakers who shall be called the children of God. Drawing nourishment from Jesus the living Vine as branches, they bear the same kind of fruit as the parent stock, work in harmony with God as laborers together with Christ, and through grace are raised up to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Living Out New Life
Christ is willing to make the spiritually dead alive together with himself for all who surrender the will to God, repent, and believe that Jesus pardons them, for no one can overcome sin by personal strength but needs Jesus to take away sins and give peace and pardon. This passing from death to life comes through hearty repentance and true faith, with a broken and contrite heart and a felt sense of the offensive character of sin, turning from disobedience which lies at the foundation of all sin to walking with Christ by loving and fearing God, keeping His requirements, and living by every word proceeding from the mouth of God. Grace works with human cooperation, for God works in the person to will and to do what pleases Him while the person works out salvation, resisting sin and pursuing Christian character. To be quickened is to be infused with the Holy Spirit, renewed from death to life, delivered from bondage to self, saved and ennobled, with thoughts widened and made altogether different in the great transformation of the divine image which is the new birth, and having once begun the course does not make salvation secure without following on to know the Lord, persevering to the end, enshrining truth in the heart and doing the will of Christ.
Receiving this grace means Christ dwelling in the heart by faith through constant contemplation, beholding Him and cherishing Him as the very best and honored Friend so as not to grieve and offend Him in any action. It requires close study and change of heart and character, yoking with Christ to learn His meekness and lowliness, unlocking and opening the heart so He takes possession and His love flows forth in tenderness, courtesy and kindly deeds, for without this reformation and obedience the attributes He came to give are lost. Through faith the person grasps a new life and a new strong hope, which belongs to the one who sanctifies the Lord in the heart. Faith in this grace must not stagger when Satan casts his hellish shadow across the pathway to obstruct faith and eclipse light from Jesus the Sun of Righteousness, but must cleave through that shadow, resting not on feeling but on truth.
God weighs characters, actions, motives, purposes and thoughts of the heart, reading every motive, purpose and thought, and what is needed is not increase of light but surrender of the soul to God, that by the power of His grace He may make the light He has caused to shine into the heart a living principle of action. A splendid temple has no value if the heart is not right, for the central concern is spiritual condition rather than the outward place of worship, and those who by unfair dealing and blocking the advancement of God's kingdom hedge up the way of the work of salvation are weighed in the balances and found wanting.
Those made alive with Christ are to reveal the value of Christ's righteousness through helpful words, pure actions, noble principles, and living the truth as it is in Jesus. God desires His children to show the world what sitting together in heavenly places in Christ means, displaying the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness through Christ Jesus, and He expects that kindness to be brought into their dealings with one another. Those made alive share His burden for souls still dead in trespasses and sins, making personal effort in the name of Jesus to bring them to a knowledge of the truth.
This quickening and exaltation is the privilege of every shepherd of the flock, entered through earnest heart-searching and prayerful seeking to know God and the power of His grace while going after lost sheep with earnest travail for souls. It applies to backsliders who have been working against God, for when they awaken from spiritual stupor and humbly join His work, the Spirit fits them for service, which is the remedy for backsliding. This same truth is a testimony that medical missionaries may bear in the churches.
Those dead in trespasses and sins are convicted and converted and made alive when believers practice the truth themselves and teach it to those who do not know it. Angels cooperate in that work of teaching, the truth becomes a living, working principle in the heart, and as believers communicate to others what they have received, angels communicate fresh and new light to the workers, so that imparting Bible truth to poor souls in the darkness of error is the way to know its reality in personal experience.
The verse is given to comfort and help the depressed, bringing comfort and hope and consolation in God's tenderness toward all who appreciate His love, for each person is dear to the heart of God, loved by Him and not left to perish, with His everlasting arms beneath to give life together with Christ and save by grace. Dwelling on that goodness and great love shown in redemption brings rest of heart and mind, like a tired child in its mother's arms, with His everlasting arms beneath, for in all affliction Jesus is afflicted and the afflicted find refuge in Him. It means being saved from sins, not in sins, so no sinner led by Satan into sin and then left naked and trembling and afraid need keep away from God, but may come boldly to ask pardon, with hope, faith and peace within reach by Christ's merits and access by one Spirit to the Father.
By lifting the believer to enjoy His love and grace God makes believers His lightbearers to the world and channels of light through whom He communicates His blessings of love and mercy and glory. This working in the human agent both glorifies God's name and makes glad His heart as He sees the subjects of His kingdom become such channels, and His heart of love is satisfied when they cooperate with Jesus in the great work of restoring the moral image of God in fallen man.