How can remembering Ephesians 2:12 deepen our gratitude for salvation?

Remember Who We Were

Ephesians 2:12—“At that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.”

• Separate from Christ—no Messiah, no Savior, no mediation (Isaiah 59:2).

• Excluded from citizenship—outsiders to God’s family (Ephesians 2:19).

• Strangers to the covenants—none of the promises that thread from Abraham to David to the New Covenant (Genesis 12:3; Jeremiah 31:31-34).

• Without hope—nothing beyond the grave but judgment (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

• Without God—living in the dark, guided only by fallen instincts (Ephesians 2:1-3).

Letting the verse linger reminds us how utterly lost we were—no partial credit, no spiritual potential, no hidden merit.

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Remember What God Has Done

• “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)

• Dead made alive (Ephesians 2:4-5).

• Foreigners turned family (Romans 8:15-17).

• Promises signed, sealed, delivered by the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Titus 3:3-5 echoes the swap: fools and slaves to passions → washed, reborn, renewed.

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Let Gratitude Rise

• The darker the backdrop, the brighter the gospel jewel shines.

• Every “without” in verse 12 now flips to a “with” in Christ—hope, God, covenant, belonging.

• Gratitude grows when we rehearse the rescue: “He called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9-10).

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Live Out Thankfulness Daily

• Worship with full hearts—salvation is miracle, not routine.

• Extend welcome to outsiders—remembering we were once excluded (Ephesians 2:14-18).

• Speak of hope—others still live Ephesians 2:12 lives; we know the way home (2 Corinthians 5:20).

• Walk in good works God prepared (Ephesians 2:10), not to earn grace but to celebrate it.