Read Ephesians 2:1-10

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked…” (Ephesians 2:1–2)
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…” (Ephesians 2:4–5)

Paul does not soften the truth about our condition apart from Christ. He doesn’t say we were sick, weak, or broken. He says we were dead—completely incapable of rescuing ourselves. Dead people don’t climb ladders, take medicine, or work harder. Dead people are powerless. That’s the reality of sin: it doesn’t just wound us, it kills us spiritually.

But Paul doesn’t leave us in despair. After painting the bleakest picture of our condition, he gives us the most beautiful words in Scripture: “But God…” These two words change everything. We were dead, but God made us alive. We were enslaved, but God set us free. We were lost, but God came and found us.

Notice what motivates God’s action: not our effort, not our goodness, but His mercy and love. It’s His rich mercy, His great love, His immeasurable grace that moved Him to act on our behalf. Salvation is not about what we do for God—it’s about what He has done for us in Christ.

This truth humbles us and sets us free. It humbles us because we realize we contributed nothing to our salvation except the sin that made it necessary. It sets us free because it means our standing with God isn’t fragile or dependent on our performance. We didn’t earn it, so we can’t lose it. Our life is anchored in Christ, who conquered death and now gives us life.

Today, pause and let those two words sink into your heart: But God. Wherever you feel dead, defeated, or powerless, let His mercy and love speak life over you.

Reflection Questions:

• What emotions rise in you when you read Paul’s description of being “dead in sin”?
  
• Why do you think Paul highlights God’s mercy and love as the motivation for salvation?
  
• Where in your life do you need to remember the hope of “But God” today?
  
• How does knowing you were spiritually dead deepen your gratitude for Christ’s gift of life?

Journaling Prompt:

Write about a specific area where you once felt spiritually dead, and how God brought you into new life through His mercy.