"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins."
Ephesians 2:1
“And you hath he quickened.”
Believers, what a gracious gift God has given to us who were once “dead in trespasses and sins.” He’s given us life! We have been “quickened,” “made alive.” It is interesting to note that in the original text, “hath he quickened,” was not there. That’s why it’s in italics in our English Bibles. But it is implied from the context of this passage.
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:5).
Paul loved the idea that we have been quickened.
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13).
Without God’s quickening power, we still would be dead and lost in our sin.
“Who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
What does “dead” mean? Paul answers that in the book of Romans.
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).
“God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:2).
Barnes reminds us that sinners are not dead in every way. They have physical life, and they can think and reason with their mental capacities.
“There is not anywhere a more explicit proof of depravity than this, and no stronger language can be used. They were “dead” in relation to that to which they afterward became alive – i. e., to holiness” (Barnes).
Sinners without Christ are dead, unholy. But that’s not all they are, the Bible describes them in many descriptive terms.
A sinner “loves darkness” instead of light (John 3:19-20).
The sinner is a “child of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3).
Sinners are “blinded to the truth” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).
These are but a few of the descriptions we see for sinners in the Bible, how many more can you find? All of these descriptions indicate that the sinner can in no way help himself in salvation. He needs the Savior.
The Bible says we were lost in “trespasses and sins.” I am thankful for that little word “were.” A trespass indicates when a line has been crossed, and territory has been breached. It demonstrates that God has laid down the boundary line and told us not to pass it, but in our sinfulness and arrogance, we did as we pleased and crossed the line. And it is “a lapse or deviation from truth and uprightness”[1] (Thayer).
Not only have we “trespassed,” but we also “sin” when we “miss the mark,” that God has established, namely, His righteousness. We miss that target every time. As sinners, we were moral failures when it comes to God’s holiness. Only He can turn the sinner into a saint.
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins!” Praise God!
[1] J.H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.