It is to the guilty and undeserving who recognize that they are lost souls needing reconciliation to God that God offers "the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7).

In Ephesians 2 we see the hopeless state of all mankind, lost in their own selves, relying upon their own devices. They are bound almost entirely by the twisted desires of self-interest and self-concern that governs their lives as they grope through life in spiritual darkness. But later in the chapter we see the good news of the Self-less One that changes everything for lost humanity... if they will only trust in Him.

First consider Eph. 2:2-3, which sheds clear light upon the fallen nature and destiny of lost humanity and by this we see the necessary power of God's grace. These verses speak of the fallen nature and wrath-filled destiny of all the lost of mankind as "the children of disobedience" who "by nature the children of (God's) wrath." Paul wrote this to formerly lost and hopeless people at Ephesus, those who had at last come to trust the good news of Salvation to be found in Christ. Thus, we see that Paul uses the past tense , "you once lived..." and "We were..." when he addresses these believers concerning their former state before God, in contrast to their present state before God.

"Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings].

We were then by nature children of [God's] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind. (Ephesians 2:3 (AMP)

Consider for a moment on these phrases: "Children of disobedience" and "by nature children of (God's) wrath." It is against this dark and hopeless background of deserved wrath that we read further in Paul's letter to the Ephesians and find the good news of His love and grace toward all mankind.

In the Bible the word "But" always indicates "a changed view" is about to be spoken of. Note the change of view that begins here with "But God...".

"BUT GOD, who is RICH IN MERCY, for His GREAT LOVE wherewith He loved us,

"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us [given us life] together with Christ (BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED),

"And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

"(So) That in the ages to come He might show THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS" (Eph. 2:4-7).

It actually takes a load off one's heart and mind when we come to the end of our rope, as it were, and admit that we are a needy sinners, deserving God's wrath. The end of the rope leads us to genuine "light" of God's love and new life for us. How sweet to the ears of such a lost one is the wonderful message of redemption by God's grace, through faith the finished work of Christ at Calvary - offered as a free gift to all who will trust Christ as the Savior and redeemer.

We were all the "children of disobedience" and therefore "by nature the children of wrath": "But God!"

When all hope for mankind seemed gone, God intervened by Christ's cross. He now offers salvation to all of us by His grace, through faith... in His Son's cross, in Christ dying for us, in place of us!

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that NOT of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

All that's left for one to do is, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

Then, even after we are saved, we are to conduct our lives in the very same way of trusting Christ. We trust Christ who now indwells us as the new us, and as He teaches us how we are to live in rest and peace.