1. Ephesians 2:1-18 Before and After
Aim: To show that conversion involves a real change in our lives.
1. Eph. 2:1-18
After 1

2. Advertising Diets Before and After Kurt Hersher, 2012
Advertising pictures “the before” and “the after”
Kurt Hersher, 2012

3. Advertising House Painting Before and After
Advertising pictures “the before” and “the after”

4. Advertising Before and After Hair Growth Products
Advertising pictures “the before” and “the after”
Effective in showing what the product can do!

5. Before and
After
1. Paul in Eph. 2 pictures one in sin and then contrasts this with the spiritual condition of
one in Christ, that saved by God’s grace
This “before” and “after” shows the power of the Gospel to change people.
It tells us what we were before we became Christians, and what we should be after we become Christians 1

6. “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,.” Acts 3:19
. True conversion requires a change of heart, life, and spiritual state
a. Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (CLICK) - turn again, turn to God in conduct and mind , reverse your current course
5. Let’s see how the Before and After looks in Eph. 2 6

7. SIN Before After Dead In Dead To Ephesians 2:1
1. Paul in Eph. 2 pictures one in sin and then contrasts this with the spiritual condition of
one in Christ, that saved by God’s graceI.
BEFORE CONVERSION ONE IS “DEAD IN SINS”, but after conversion one is “dead to sin” - Eph. 2:1
This “before” and “after” shows the power of the Gospel to change people.
It tells us what we were before we became Christians, and what we should be after we become Christians
After
Dead To 1

8. Spiritual Death is Separation
Dead
= Separated
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.” James 2:26
A. “Dead” means separated
1. Physical death results when the spirit of man is separated from the fleshly body.
2. James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.”
3. But spiritual death, on the other hand, is a man’s separation from God because of man’s sins and transgressions
4. Every accountable person is in this condition before they obey the gospel
Spiritual Death is Separation
from God !

9. They were dead spiritually
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1)
They were dead spiritually
Trespasses – willfully crossing the boundary
Sins – missing the mark
B. Spiritual death, or separation from God, happens when:
1. We are dead in sin, but Jesus has made us alive - v. 1 “And you He made alive, who were dead in
trespasses and sins”
Notice before these people were Christians:
2. They were spiritually dead
a. They had trespasses - that is one willfully crossing the boundary
b. They had sins - to miss the mark, to fall short - habitual, constant
3. Before conversion, the person is still in their sin and separated from God.

10. After conversion they are alive
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1)
After conversion they are alive
* Dead to Sin—Romans 6:1,2
Alive to God
Paul Died to Sin—Galatians 2:20
C. After Conversion one is “Dead to Sin” and Alive for God
1. One who is “dead to sin” does not “Continue in” sinful living - Rom. 6:1-2 “What
shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.
How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer in it?”
a. When we die physically, we no longer live as we did before – there has been a change
b. When we die spiritually, we no longer live the former life of sin
c. Paul died to sin – and he said that his old life was Crucified with Christ - Gal. 2:20
d. It was as if Paul had died and been buried at Damascus when he obeyed the gospel and was baptized into Christ

11. “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.” Peter 2:24
1 Pet 2:24 “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness”
2. One who is “dead to sin” lives a new life
a. He is buried - like a person who dies - in baptism
b. Raised up - resurrected - to a new life
3. One who is “Dead to sin” does not “Serve” sin
a. He is no longer a slave to sin
b. When a slave dies, his master no longer has dominion over him
c. He is released, delivered from sin, like a slave delivered from his master
4. One who is “Dead to sin” is “alive for God” 11

12. WANTED Dead and Alive Romans 6 Reward = Heaven
5. Illustration: Wanted Dead or Alive ! - Wanted Dead and Alive
Reward = Heaven

13. World Before After Ungodly Godly Ephesians 2:2
II. BEFORE WE OBEYED THE GOSPEL WE “WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THE
WORLD”, but AFTER WE become a Christian, we strive to be godly
This “before” and “after” shows the power of the Gospel to change people.
It tells us what we were before we became Christians, and what we should be after we become Christians
After
Godly 1

14. “In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” Ephesians 2:2
Eph. 2:2 “in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience”
A. The “course of this world” means the “cycle or present round of things.”
1. What are some characteristics typical of the “course of this world? 14

15. ungodly Disobedience Before Vain mind – Ephesians 4:17
Uncleanness – Ephesians 4:19
Eyes filled with adultery- 2 Peter 2:14
Works of Flesh – Galatians 5:19-21
Unrighteousness – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Disobedience
a. A “vain mind” - Eph. 4:17 - Foolishness - wasted - worthless = Idolatry
b. A life devoted to lasciviousness and uncleanness - Eph. 4:19
c. Eyes filled with adultery 2 Pet. 2:14 “having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children”
d. The “works of the flesh” Gal. 5:19-21 – hatred, jealousies, wrath, drunkeness
e. Unrighteousness - 1 Cor. 6:9, 10 – living outside the commandments of God (CLICK)
f. Life of Disobedience
2. The Basic spirit of the world is disobedience toward God and godly living

16. Obedience Godly Good works – Ephesians 2:10
Do good unto all men – Galatians 6:10
1 Timothy 6:18 – rich in good works
Life to glory of God – Matthew 5:16
Obedience
B. After we obey the gospel we are to “walk in good works” Eph. 2:10
1. “Good” [in connection with works], “Describes that which, being good in its
character, is beneficial in its effect.”
2. Gal. 6:10 “do good unto all men...”
3. 1 Tim 6:18 “That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to
distribute, willing to communicate” See context verses 17-19
4. These “Good works” are set forth in God’s word according to II Tim. 3:16-17
6. After conversion, one is to use their life to the glory of God.
7. One may use his life to lead others to glorify God (CLICK)
8. Life of Obedience
C. Before - walking according to course of this world - After - walk in Good works
Godly
After

17. Wrath Before After Child of Child of God Ephesians 2:3
III. BEFORE CONVERSION ONE IS A “CHILD OF WRATH”- but after conversion they are a child of God
This “before” and “after” shows the power of the Gospel to change people.
It tells us what we were before we became Christians, and what we should be after we become Christians
After
Child of God 1

18. “Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” Ephesians 2:3
Text: Ephesians 2:3—”children of wrath” 18

19. Child of Wrath = anger, vengeance, punishment Before
Ephesians 5: Will know the wrath of God
Hebrews 10:26-31 – fearful thing
II Corinthians 5:10-11
1. Eph. 2:3 - wrath = “violent passion, anger, vengeance” This is their way of life
2. The children of disobedience shall know the wrath of God. - Eph. 5:6
3. The Bible says it is a “fearful thing” to fall into the hands of the living God.
a. A sorer punishment than death with mercy
4. Paul appreciated the truth concerning God’s wrath and he, therefore, sought to
lead men to salvation in Christ. II Cor. 5:10-11

20. Child of God Reconciled to God – Ephesians 2:16
Access to the Father – Ephesians 2:18
In God’s household – Ephesians 2:19
Heir of God
B. After conversion one is called a child of God
1. He is reconciled to God
2. He has access to the Father
3. He is in God’s household [family]
4. He is an “Heir of God” And the inheritance is “reserved in heaven.”
Child of God
After

21. Change involved in Conversion
Power In The Gospel
Romans 1:16
Change involved in Conversion
1. There is power in the gospel by which men are saved from sin - Rom. 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes”
2. There is a great change involved in conversion. This change demonstrates the love of
God, the power of Christ’s blood, the power of the Gospel.

22. Dead in sin Living in world Child of wrath Alive to God
After
Before
Dead in sin
Living in world
Child of wrath
Alive to God
Living in good works
Child of God
3. Before conversion and After Conversion
(1) One is dead in sin - but when obedient to the gospel he is alive to God
(2) One is living according to the world - Now he is living in Good Works
(3) One is a child of Wrath but now he is a child of God
4. A Realization of the real difference conversion makes should:
a. Help us to know The gospel can change the lives of men, and determine their destiny
b. Cause the saved people to rejoice in their salvation

23. “Repent therefore and be converted”
The Gospel can
change lives
Conversion—can only be accomplished by teaching and obeying the gospel of Christ!

24. SIN
GOD
Sin or God..

25. Hear John 12:48 Believe John 8:24 Repent Luke 13:3
Confess Matthew 10:32-33
Baptized Mark 16:16
Faithful Matthew 24:13
Invitation…