The Great Exchange: From Death to Life
Warm Up
What’s the nicest thing someone did for you this week? How did it make you feel?
Recall a time when you saw something or someone (e.g. a flower, a plant, an animal, or a baby) awaken. How did it happen?
What person do you trust the most? Why do you trust him/her?
Word
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith—and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not as a result of works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph 2:8-10).
(Read also Eph 2:1-7.)
The Bible says that without Christ and his saving work, we are dead in our sins. We are not bad or in need of a little help; we are dead. But God’s mercy, love, and grace cause dead people to come alive. Our salvation is God’s work and gift. We could never do anything to deserve it. Jesus Christ took our place and paid the price for our sin through his death, burial, and resurrection. This is the gospel. And the only appropriate response is to believe in him and gratefully live a life that glorifies him.
1 We are saved by grace.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith—and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not as a result of works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9).
We are saved not by our own effort, ability, or choice. We are saved by God’s grace, which we do not deserve but God chooses to bestow on us. Grace is God’s unmerited favor for us in spite of our sin. What did God do for us even when we were dead in our sin (Eph 2:4-5)? Why will boasting of our good works never be heard in heaven?
Exo 33:19
And he said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass before you [when you are concealed in the cave], and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you [to teach you the order of praying for mercy even when the merit of the fathers no longer obtains. And you teach Israel to pray according to that order (“the Thirteen Attributes”) and their prayers for mercy will thereby be granted]; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” [but later (34:10) he assured Moses that “the Thirteen Attributes” are never unavailing].
Rashi's Commentary
He said, “I will cause . . . pass before you”—The time has arrived when you shall see of my glory so much as I will allow you to see according as I wish, and therefore I find it necessary to teach you a set form of prayer. Just now when you felt the need to pray for mercy on Israel’s behalf you besought me to remember the merits of the patriarchs and you thought that if the merits of the patriarchs are exhausted there is no more hope—I will therefore cause all the attribute of my goodness to pass before you on the rock whilst you are placed in the cave.
And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious i. e. in times when I will be disposed to be gracious.
Exo 34:6-7
6 And the Lord passed by in front of him and he called, “The Lord, the Lord [the attribute of mercy: one (Lord) before the sin; one, after sinning and repentance], the God [אֵל, likewise the attribute of mercy], who is
compassionate and gracious, slow to anger [withholding his anger in anticipation of repentance], and abounding in love [to those who are in need of it, being deficient in merit] and truth [faithfully rewarding those who perform his will],
Rashi's Commentary
The Lord, the Lord—This is the attribute of Divine mercy. It is repeated, once for before the person sins, and once for after he sins and repents (Rosh Hashanah 17b).
Slow to anger—He defers his anger and does not hasten to punish—it may be that the sinner will repent.
And abounding in loving-kindness—To those who need loving-kindness because they have not sufficient merits to be saved by them.
And truth—Faithfully rewarding those who perform his will.
Rosh Hashanah 17b:4
Ilfai, and some say it was the Sage Ilfa, also raised a contradiction: It is written in the list of God’s attributes: “And abounding in love” (Exo 34:6), and it is written in the same verse: “And truth,” which implies the attribute of justice. He answered: Initially, at the time of judgment: “And truth,” i.e., God employs strict justice, but in the end, when He sees that the world cannot survive on judgment based only on truth and justice: “And abounding in love,” i.e., he is compassionate.
Rosh Hashanah 17b:6
The verse continues: “The Lord, the Lord,” and it should be understood as follows: I am he before a person sins, and I am he after a person sins and performs repentance, as God does not recall for him his first sins, since he is always “God, compassionate and gracious” (Exo 34:6).
7 maintaining [a man’s] love [before him] for two thousand [generations], forgiving [deliberate] iniquity and [acts of] rebellion and sin; yet he does not [completely] clear of sin. He remembers the sin of the parents upon children [who persist in their parents’ ways], and upon children's children, to the third and fourth [generation].”
Rashi's Commentary
Maintaining loving-kindness—That a person does in his presence.
For two thousand—For two thousand generations (the plural, “generations,” and “two” is the least that this can imply; cf. Rashi on Exo 20:6).
Iniquity and rebellion—Iniquities (עִוֹנוֹת) are sins committed presumptuously (with premeditation). פְּשָׁעִים—These are sins committed rebelliously.
Yet he does not [completely] clear of sin—According to its plain sense this means that he is not altogether indulgent to sin (he does not entirely remit the punishment), but little by little exacts punishment from, him (the sinner). Our Rabbis, however, interpreted this expression to mean: He clears those who repent, but does not clear those who do not repent (Yoma 86a).
He remembers the sin of the parents upon children—When they retain in their hands (follow the example of) the evil doings of their ancestors. This must be the meaning because in another verse of a similar character it has already been stated: of those who hate me (Berakhot 7a; Sanhedrin 27b; cf. Exo 20:5)
וְעַל רִבֵּעִים means and fourth [generation]—It follows, therefore, that the measure of good (reward) is greater than the measure of punishment in the proportion of one to five hundred, for in respect to the measure of good it says: “maintaining loving-kindness for two thousand” (cf. Rashi above: Tosefta Sotah 4:1; see also Rashi on Exo 20:5).
Sanhedrin 27b:16
The Gemara asks: And are children not put to death for the sin of the parents? But isn’t it written: “Remembers the sin of the parents upon children, and upon children's children, to the third and fourth [generation]” (Exo 34:7)?
Joh 5:21
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he wishes.
Rom 3:20, 27-28
20 Therefore by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
2 We are saved through faith in Christ.
For by grace you have been saved through faith—and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God— (Eph 2:8)
Faith is our response to God’s grace. We believe and rely on Christ’s finished work as the only means for our salvation. The object of our faith is God Himself. How did you make a decision to put your faith in God for salvation?
Mar 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Luk 7:50
And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Joh 5:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Act 13:39
and through him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the law of Moses.
Act 14:27
When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
Act 16:31
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
3 We are saved to do good works.
For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph 2:10).
As a result of our salvation, we can now fulfill God’s plan for our lives. Our salvation is not based on good works, but it results in good works, which God has already prepared for us to do. We are his handiwork (work of art or masterpiece). Knowing that God prepared us for good works ahead of time, how should we respond? What do you think we should do?
Deu 5:30
You shall walk in all the way which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may
prolong your days in the land which you will possess.
Deu 32:6
Is this how you repay the Lord, [who has the power to exact punishment of you, and who accorded you all manner of good?]
Foolish [who forgot all that was done to them] and unwise people [to foresee consequences, it being in his power to do good and ill].
Is he not your Father, who bought you?
He has made you and established you [securely].
Rashi's Commentary
Is this how you repay the Lord—This is an expression of astonishment: “Why are you doing such saddening things before God? He has the power to punish you, nevertheless he has bestowed all these favors upon you.
Foolish . . . people—i.e., a people that has forgotten all that has been done to them.
Unwise to consider what will result from their actions,
viz., that it is in his power to do them good or evil according to their actions (cf. Sifrei).
Is he not your Father, who bought you? The word קָּנֶךָ means: Who acquired (קָנָה) you, or, Who placed you (more lit., made you nest, קִנְּנֶךָ) in a nest (קַן) of rocks and in strong ground, or. Who has fitted you out (תִּקְּנֶךָ) with everything that will benefit you (תַּקָּנָה).
He made you a nation among the nations of the world,
And established you afterwards on every kind of firm base and foundation (כַּן) (i.e. made you self-contained): your priests are from among yourselves; your Levites are from among yourselves, and your kings are from among yourselves—a city in which is everything (Chullin 56b; Sifrei Devarim 309:7).
Psa 51:12
Create in me a pure heart, O God [that I not stray again],
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psa 81:14
Oh that my people would [even now] listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
Psa 119:3
who, though they committed no wrong [were not content therewith],
but [actively] walked in his ways.
Psa 138:8
The Lord will complete [(as he has begun) his lovingkindness] that which concerns me;
your love, O Lord, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands.
Application
Have you received by faith the new life that Christ offers? If not, would you like to put your faith in Christ’s finished work for your salvation?
Can you explain what happened on the cross for you to be saved? To whom can you share it this week?
What good works do you believe you can do this week, which God has prepared in advance for you to do?
Prayer
Thank God for making the way for your salvation and for bringing you from death to life. Thank Him for His mercy, love, and grace. Thank Him also for your faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross.
Ask God for boldness and courage to preach the gospel to your family and friends who don’t know Him and haven’t put their faith in Him yet.
Pray that as his handiwork, you would accomplish the good works God has prepared in advance for you to do.
This work, "The Great Exchange: From Death to Life" is a derivative of "The Great Exchange:Victory Series" © 2018 by VICTORY®
All rights reserved and "The Rashi Chumash" and "The Rashi Ketuvim" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein used under CC BY 3.0