Once Dead
/March 6
Ephesians 2:1–3
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked.”
Illustration by Gustave Doré
One of the purposes of Lent is to remind us of our sin and brokenness. While we should not be morbidly obsessed with our sin, especially when we are now in Christ, we should have a healthy understanding of who we were when we were lost in our sin. Ephesians 2:1–3 paints a rather grim picture for us. Prior to Jesus, we were dead in our sin. Dead—meaning no life. What a sad reality. We walked around following the world and pursuing the passions of our flesh. We wanted what we wanted regardless of what God thought about it. Not only were we dead in sin, but we were also “children of wrath.” While God loved us, his wrath burned hot against our sin. You see, God is pure and holy. Sin is the opposite of who God is. The two cannot mix. Therefore when we were dead in sin, we were literally enemies of God.
What a grim reality. Thankfully, in Jesus we are no longer dead to sin. We are no longer children of wrath. We are now children of the king and heirs to his kingdom. When we remember our sin and how far God has brought us, we remember how incredible his love and mercy is. We realize how great a gift Jesus is to us. We are led to a place of honor and worship, thanking God for not leaving us dead in our sin but bringing us to life in his Son. We were once dead, but now we are alive. During this season of Lent, let’s remember our sin, not to obsess over it but to obsess over the God who loves us and sent his Son, Jesus, to bring us back to life.
Reflection
- Who were you in your sin without Jesus?
- Who are you now in Christ?
- When was the last time you confessed your sin to God? Take some time to confess your sin to God, asking for his forgiveness from unconfessed sin you have committed.