MADE ALIVE IN CHRIST

Ephesians 2 New International Version (NIV)

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved,through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 

When something dies, it rots and stinks. It is awful! Being dead in our transgressions and sin is an awful state of affairs. It is a degrading status in life. Sin makes us stink in the presence of God who is holy and perfect. We appear as darkness before light. When you are living in sin, all your ways are unpleasant to God. Your spirit is at war with the things of God. You begin to see them a foolishness. There is an enmity between you and God. But God is a loving father so he has made a way to remove this enmity through his son Jesus Christ. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus. His death on the cross led to our forgiveness of sins and transgressions. Today, if you hear his voice and humble yourself before him by acknowledging your sins and ask for forgiveness, he will forgive you and restore you back into fellowship with him. You will be resurrected from death into life and you will no longer stink but you will be a sweet smelling incense to the Lord.  God's love is so wide that you cannot get around it; so low that you cannot get under it; so high that you cannot get over it. Oh, what a wonderful love! Take advantage of His love and grace.