And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 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—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV
We once walked in sin when we were dead and lost.
We found hope in the offer of grace, a gift freely given to those who believe, to those who are called, chosen, and drawn by the Lord to Himself.
It is by this grace that we are saved, liberated, redeemed, freed.
Now we walk as new creations, with a new purpose of good works for the glory and honor of God.
Now we have a new master. Sin and temptation and wickedness was our old master leading us along as we chased after it for ourselves – but now Christ is our new Lord, a merciful yet loving guide, who has the best for us.
We have traded the short sighted blindness of worldliness and sin, for the patient vision of light, truth, and love.
Harold J. Ballinger 