Verses 1-7
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Before we were saved, we lived under the influence of the devil, and we lived controlled by the sinful desires that come from the fallen mind and body. By nature, we were sinful and under God's wrath.
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Understand that our sinful nature comes from the mind and body. We inherited this sin-nature from Adam genetically (Romans 5:12,18-19).
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Therefore, to live in the flesh is to live controlled by the urges of the mind and body.
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Today, your body remains fallen (Romans 8:10,23), but your mind can be renewed (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23). On the other hand, your spirit is perfect (2 Corinthians 4:16, Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10).
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The human spirit has always been perfect (even as unbelievers) as the spirit is the very breath of God (Job 32:8, Genesis 2:7). Being dead in our sin simply meant that we operated dead or insensitive to virtually all holy spiritual influence, living instead by the lusts of the mind and body. Our spirit only kept our body alive, at least (James 2:26).
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Verses 4-5. But when we are saved, we are made alive with Christ, awakened to understand spiritual realities (1 Corinthians 2:14-15), freed from the control of sin (Romans 6:4-6), and enlightened to a relationship with God and His Spirit. And now, we are seated with Christ in heaven in that we belong to Him; we are His own.
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God saved us by His own power and out of His own love for us, when we did not deserve it.
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He saved us to show His grace, as demonstrated in our salvation, to all creation in the eternal future.
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As believers now, we are to live influenced by our spirit (Colossians 3:10), praying with our spirit (1 Corinthians 14:14), gaining understanding from our spirit (Job 32:8).
Verses 8-10
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Verses 8-9. We could never have earned our salvation through our own efforts. Otherwise, if we could, we would have something to boast about (Romans 4:2). But since we cannot save ourselves, and instead are saved by God's grace, He gets all the praise.
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Verse 10. In fact, God Himself creates us into people who do good works for Him. Even the good that we are able to do, after being saved, is due to the influence of God's grace in our lives.
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Therefore, never try to take credit for your own good works. It is only by God's grace that we are able to do anything (1 Corinthians 15:10). Everything good about us is due to His workmanship in us, in creating us!
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Verses 11-19
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While we were unbelievers, especially non-Jews, we were totally ignorant, hopeless, and isolated from God (Colossians 1:21).
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Now, because of what Jesus did, Jews and Gentiles are united by one faith, and restored to an equal relationship with God.
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Now there is no difference between Jew and Gentiles, in that we both have the same access to God through faith in Jesus Christ.
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All believers are one family now (Ephesians 1:10), so treat all believers with equal favor. As God has received you, receive other believers warmly (Romans 15:7).
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Verses 20-22
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Christ's church is built on the foundation of the Bible—both the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and the writings of the apostles and prophets of the New Testament. Christ is the cornerstone of our foundation.
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As we work together, standing on the teachings of the Bible, we will grow and mature together into a community where God's presence is evident (1 Corinthians 14:25).
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Work to be united and agreed with your fellow believers, following the same doctrine of the Word and focusing on Jesus (Colossians 2:19).
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