Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. (Ephesians 2:3—NIV)

The least common denominator of mankind is our innate nature. Human nature in its fallen state is here defined as wrathful and wrath-worthy. Though our society was founded bowing to a belief in the depravity of mankind, it has since embraced another doctrine. The concept that all men are born with a latent goodness is today trumpeted even though all evidence of unbridled human behavior gives evidence to the contrary. Should we be surprised when the unregenerate act unsaved?

The book of Ephesians reveals the Grace of God toward His own. How great would be your impoverishment if these first three chapters were removed from Holy Writ. You would not know as fully of the election, adoption, redemption, purpose, acceptance, sealing, quickening, and calling love of God. This is grace. Grace is simply divine enablement.

These first verses of chapter 2 describe the transformational workmanship of grace. Every man on earth is described as spiritually dead, sold to serve Satan’s whims exclusively, his only exercise of vitality is to follow a DNA of eternal self-destruction while reacting in concert with the cues received from others and receiving the same blind counsel.

Verse three describes this as a "nature". A nature is that which is integral to us, is formative and interpretive within us; as distinguished from those forces externally influencing us. Our real nature is that which we inherit, not what we acquire. We are sinners by nature and then sinners by choice.

God intrudes into this disaster of spiritual death, and in grace, firmly grasps a child of wrath. The context says that God makes him alive, quickens him, elevates him to be the recipient of the fullness of divine mercy and love. God displays only His favor to someone solely deserving of eternal wrath. The wrath was played out on Jesus, His Son, upon the cross of Calvary so that this former child of wrath is saved through faith. This faith cannot come from human nature (verses 8 – 9). God plants a new nature in the believer (2 Peter 1:4). This can only be a gracious gift.

Let God’s word be your explanation of our times. Be thankful for His transforming work begun in you through salvation. Seek to be used of God to invade the darkness that surrounds you every day. In short, be a trophy of grace!