Reference no: EM133493262
Much of what the Apostle Paul's letters articulate is concerned with soteriology, that is, the way in which sinners are saved by God. He is heavily dependent on Jesus' teaching and writes boldly to clear up misconceptions among the early Church. One early misconception about salvation was that people could earn their way into God's Kingdom either by lineage, ritual, or being a "good person." Read Ephesians 2:1-10 and answer the following questions:
1. How does this text describe the state of humans without a covenant relationship with God? Put Eph 2:1-3 Is this a positive or negative description of the natural human condition?
2. According to Eph 2:4-7, God changes everything. Reflect on this change that God orchestrates through Jesus. Focus on the verbs in these verses and provide some personal commentary on what is described.
3. According to this passage as a whole, can a person be good enough to earn God's Kingdom?
4. According to this passage as a whole, can a person do enough "work" to earn God's Kingdom?
5. According to this passage (especially 2:8-9), how are people saved.