His statement here is that they need to call to mind their past. He is referring to the Gentile believers[1] in this church. He is reminding them that they were without eternal life, totally depraved in nature (Eph. 2:1; 5:6, 11). They were made alive together (Greek suzoopoieo)[2], or shared in the life of another. This life is the life of God.
The new life is a sharing of the new life of Christ which was made possible and happened when He rose from the dead. It gave us a new start, a new power over the sinful nature. God has freely forgiven (Greek charizomai)[3] all of our trespasses. The Greek word, paraptoma, means a stumbling aside, a fault, an offense, or a transgression.[4]
Paul is emphasizing here that all were guilty of disobeying God’s moral law. He makes a point that Jews as well as Gentiles are guilty in his letter to the Romans 1:18 – 3:20. He understood that all people need the grace of God.
Prayer: Gracious and Forgiving God, I thank You that You have made it possible for me to be forgiven and fully restored to You. My ways are not sufficient, not able to bring me into a relationship with You. You are Holy, You are Just, Righteous, and Blameless. I am the exact opposite. Draw me to You, cleanse me and restore Your wayward child. I thank You for Your love. Amen.
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[1] The use of the Greek word akrobustia means uncircumcised, and was used by the Jews as a metaphor for the Gentiles, and thus translated in their thoughts as the moral condition of corruption. W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger and William White, Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1996). Page 102.
[2] Perschbacher, W. J. (Ed.). (1990). The New Analytical Greek Lexicon. Peabody, Massachusetts, USA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Page 384.
[3] Wigram, G. (1982). New Englishman's Greek-English Concordance and Lexicon. Lafayette, IN, USA: Sovereign Grace Publishers, Inc. Page 913.
[4] Perschbacher, W. J. (Ed.). (1990). The New Analytical Greek Lexicon. Peabody, Massachusetts, USA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Page 310.
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[1] The use of the Greek word akrobustia means uncircumcised, and was used by the Jews as a metaphor for the Gentiles, and thus translated in their thoughts as the moral condition of corruption. W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger and William White, Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1996). Page 102.
[2] Perschbacher, W. J. (Ed.). (1990). The New Analytical Greek Lexicon. Peabody, Massachusetts, USA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Page 384.
[3] Wigram, G. (1982). New Englishman's Greek-English Concordance and Lexicon. Lafayette, IN, USA: Sovereign Grace Publishers, Inc. Page 913.
[4] Perschbacher, W. J. (Ed.). (1990). The New Analytical Greek Lexicon. Peabody, Massachusetts, USA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Page 310.
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