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2 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.
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
(ESV)
Many of us today live under the illusion that we simply can’t change. Hidden deep under a “that’s just the way I am” attitude is a deadliest of all sins – human pride. It’s the same thing that Paul is directly targeting here in Ephesians 2 verses 11-12. In order for growth to occur, we must begin to call out our flesh and allow the Spirit to deal with it. Every time a believer says, “that’s just the way I am,” we insult the very God who we claim to follow. Pride loves “whiteout conditions,” because you sit there in the same place with no direction or accountability. It’s just you and your thoughts. It’s the same thing that keeps people in their seats when there’s an altar call.
And what does our pride tell us in those moments? “I’m OK.” “I’m not that bad.” “I have good intentions.” “I’m not as bad at that person over there.” Or how about the classic statement, “I’m right.” What does Paul say here in Ephesians 2? He says just the opposite of all those statements. He says “remember…”
So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh – called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
Ephesians 2:11-12 HCSB
Why is it so important in this relationship with Him to remember our separation from Christ?
Isn’t this what we want? We desire to experience life on the razor edge of our faith, putting our old lives behind us and not wasting a single moment. When you don’t remember where you were, you will look to yourself, over and over again. When you remember where you were, you begin to fulfill your calling just like King David when he proclaimed, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (1 Sam 17:37) Not me, but Him.
My prayer is that we would remember. It’s not to beat ourselves down, but to realize how He has brought us so far up.