Grace

The Grace of Salvation – Pastor David Jang

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I. Human Sin and God’s Grace

Before delving into the central theme of Ephesians 2, Pastor David Jang emphasizes the reasons for praise and thanksgiving that the Apostle Paul recorded in Ephesians 1. In Ephesians 1, Paul says, “to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Eph. 1:10). Pastor David Jang interprets this as a verse revealing the ‘grand direction of history,’ going far beyond mere individual salvation. The fact that history is divided into B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini) itself indicates that the coming of Christ is the pivotal event in history. History is “moving toward unity in Christ,” and this signifies an ‘eschatological vision’ and a ‘new beginning.’

Within this grand flow of history, Pastor David Jang usually teaches newcomers to the church the so-called “Four Spiritual Laws,” often summarized as Creation–Sin–Christ–Salvation, but he expands it by adding “the Kingdom of God.” Thus he teaches Creation–Sin–Salvation through Christ–the Kingdom of God. The reason is that the entire Bible unfolds in a trajectory that ultimately seeks to restore and perfect God’s Kingdom. According to him, the Kingdom of God began with the first coming of Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the cross, continues to expand even now, and will be completed in the end. Therefore, Christian faith is not confined merely to individual salvation but directs our gaze to the “salvation of history,” culminating in the coming of the Kingdom of God in a grander dimension.

Pastor David Jang explains that just as Paul in Ephesians 1 had “reason to praise,” those who have received the grace of salvation naturally overflow with praise and prayer. Ephesians 1 is filled with praise and prayer. He highlights that “Paul’s prayer is a model showing us what we should pray for,” particularly drawing attention to the content of Paul’s prayer in the latter part of Ephesians 1. That prayer does not merely present superficial wishes; it is a lofty petition for God’s plan of salvation, His sovereignty, and for the spirit of wisdom and revelation to enlighten believers. In other words, Paul seeks the believers’ “hearts to be enlightened,” pointing to a ‘spiritual awakening’ that goes beyond mere knowledge to grasp God’s will.

In this context, Pastor David Jang naturally shifts his focus to the fall and sin of humanity. God originally created a beautiful world and declared that His creation, especially humans made in His image, was “very good.” Yet humanity fell into sin, breaking its relationship with God and descending into disorder and confusion. He compares this to 1 Samuel 15:23, where Samuel tells Saul, “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you.” The fundamental cause is that humanity “has first abandoned God.” Pastor David Jang calls this “the deep truth the Bible teaches,” pointing out that people who have turned away from God and sinned often believe instead that God has forsaken them. Yet in reality, humans were the first to turn their backs on God, thereby becoming objects of wrath.

Despite this, God’s compassion and love toward sinners know no bounds. He sent His Son to save those mired in sin, inviting humanity through the good news that “He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16). Pastor David Jang especially emphasizes the cross of Jesus Christ as an event of “Redemption.” Drawing on the ancient backdrop of the term “redemption” (in which one could purchase a slave with money and grant them freedom), he explains that Jesus paid the most precious price—His own life—to liberate humankind from its slavery to sin. Thus, following the typical Four Spiritual Laws—Creation, Sin, Christ, Salvation—Pastor David Jang introduces the overarching premise that the entire Bible “ultimately converges on the Kingdom of God,” underscoring how majestic and clear the salvation history of God is, as presented in Ephesians, which speaks of “bringing all things together in Christ.”

Consequently, the conclusion of Ephesians 1 can be summarized as “praise” and “prayer.” As Paul’s confession shows, once sinners are saved by God’s grace, praise wells up from the depths of their hearts, and a “holy prayer” naturally follows, seeking to understand and experience God’s grace more fully. Pastor David Jang explains that as our “awareness of grace” deepens, our prayers gain a broader perspective, aimed at the Kingdom of God and the salvation of history. This is where Ephesians displays its unique scale, simultaneously encompassing “history and salvation” in one epistle.

II. Transgressions, Sin, and the Certainty of Salvation

Moving on to Ephesians 2, Pastor David Jang highlights the dramatic reversal found in the first verse: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins—He made you alive!” Paul, having declared at the end of Ephesians 1 that “history will ultimately be united in Christ,” now shows in chapter 2 just how stark the transformation from death to life is in that unifying process.

First, we note the distinction in Ephesians 2:1 between “transgressions (παράπτωμα, paraptōma)” and “sins (ἁμαρτία, hamartia).” Pastor David Jang explains that “transgression” means “falling away from the right path (fall away),” indicating that humanity strayed from the path (or orbit) it was originally meant to follow. All creation orbits around the sun according to its designated path; even nature and animals follow the laws given to them. Only humankind has deviated from its ordained orbit and design. “Sin (hamartia)” has the root meaning of “missing the mark,” failing to hit the center of the target and thus leading to a state where everything is tangled—disorder and confusion.

Pastor David Jang then points to Ephesians 2:2: “in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air…” He explains that humanity’s sin is not merely individual but structurally embedded in the “world governed by the ruler of the air (Satan).” People often consider sin as something unrelated to God or solely a human matter, but Scripture reveals an evil spiritual power behind it—“the ruler of the air”—which manipulates worldly trends (ideologies, cultures, values) to maximize “the flow of sin.” The city of Ephesus, where the Ephesian church was located, was dominated by the enormous Temple of Artemis, rife with sexual immorality and idolatry. Pastor David Jang notes that understanding this cultural context—“the idolatry, immorality, and corrupt culture they followed”—is crucial. Hence the description in Ephesians of “following the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air” is not abstract theory but was a very real issue for the people of that time.

Additionally, Pastor David Jang observes that the phrase in Ephesians 2:3 calling us “by nature deserving of wrath” corresponds with Romans 1, where Paul states that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” Modern readers often misunderstand God’s wrath as conflicting with His love. But according to Pastor David Jang, God’s wrath is provoked because “humankind abandoned God, engaged in unrighteousness and idolatry, and fell into sins that harm one another.” Thus, God’s wrath is not the opposite of love; rather, it is the intrinsic attitude of the holy God who hates sin and executes a “righteous judgment” for the sake of restoration. Humanity, having willfully abandoned its orbit, became deserving of wrath by nature, yet Ephesians 2 proclaims the reversal that God, full of mercy, has provided a way of salvation for humankind.

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions…” (Eph. 2:4–5). Here Pastor David Jang repeatedly underscores that salvation is God’s grace. Humanity may have turned away from God, yet God never abandoned humankind; ultimately, He granted eternal life to sinners at the extreme cost of sacrificing His own Son. Hence Ephesians 2:8–9 declares, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Pastor David Jang emphasizes that we must never forget that “our salvation is entirely God’s gift, not based on our works, merits, or righteousness.”

To further highlight that salvation is “grace before works,” Pastor David Jang references the Reformation principle Sola Gratia (“by grace alone”), recalling the historic emphasis on the relationship between “grace” and “faith.” Grace comes first, and faith is the channel by which we receive that grace; no matter how upright our actions might be, they can never come before grace. Thus Paul categorically states, “so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:9). Pastor David Jang uses the metaphor “You do not dilute wine with water” to illustrate that we must never mix works-based merit into grace. The absolute nature of grace is the foundation of Christian faith.

Moving on, he explains the phrase “we are God’s handiwork” (Eph. 2:10) from the Greek word poiēma (ποίημα), interpreting it as “those newly created in Christ.” Revisiting the concept of “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17), Pastor David Jang contends that salvation is not merely about forgiveness of sins or escaping punishment but constitutes a fundamental re-creation of our very being. He then connects this to God’s purpose for salvation: “created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Eph. 2:10). Those who have been saved by grace are called to a life that carries out “the good works God has prepared in advance.” Pastor David Jang finds in this verse clear guidance for how Christians should live in the world. Having been saved by grace through faith, believers “ought to do good works, shine as light and salt in the world, and walk joyfully in the path God has prepared.”

Thus, Ephesians 2:1–10 speaks of a transition “from death to life,” summarizing how those who had transgressed and missed the mark were “raised again in Christ.” Pastor David Jang stresses that this is “the very essence of the gospel for which we must be grateful and praise God throughout our lives.” For sinners whose lives seemed hopeless and meaningless, God’s vast mercy and love have come upon them, enabling them to “be made alive with Christ, raised with Christ, and seated with Him in the heavenly realms,” sharing in His glory. Consequently, our entire life can become a song of thanksgiving.

III. The Assurance of “the Kingdom of God”

Pastor David Jang summarizes the overarching theme of Ephesians 1–2 as “the coming of Jesus Christ, which marks both the end and the new beginning of history.” When Ephesians 1:10 says, “to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ,” it declares where history is headed and what its endpoint is. Jesus Christ stands as the conclusion of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament, being “the Alpha and the Omega,” as stated in Revelation. Pastor David Jang compares this to Teilhard de Chardin’s idea of the “Omega Point,” saying, “Just as the Omega Point of the Old Testament is Jesus Christ, the Omega Point of the New Testament is the Kingdom of God.” Thus, the end times signify “the end of the old history and the beginning of a new one,” and he believes this new history already started with the first coming of Jesus Christ.

Hence history is not a meaningless stream that eventually vanishes but a planned journey “that converges on the Kingdom of God in Christ.” Relying on this certainty, Pastor David Jang recalls how Paul in Acts 28 “proclaimed the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28:31). He also refers to the question from the disciples just before Jesus’ ascension—“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)—noting that their inquiry indicates a “hope for the restoration of the kingdom,” or the completion of God’s Kingdom. Likewise, for Christians living in the New Testament era, that Kingdom has already begun but is not yet complete; it continues to expand in the present. In our prayers, when we say “Your kingdom come,” we are participating in and expressing faith in both the eschatological reality and its present unfolding.

Thus Paul’s declaration in Ephesians that “the old history of sin has met its end through the cross, and a new era of life has opened” instructs the church today on “what historical perspective we should hold.” Pastor David Jang uses a metaphor: “If you do not know where history is going, you will drift aimlessly, not knowing where your ship is headed.” He urges Christians to live with a “clear destination,” namely, the “completion of God’s Kingdom.” In Christ, our lives and ministries participate in “the grand flow of history,” so even amid our present world, that Kingdom grows like a mustard seed, or like yeast that works its way through the whole batch of dough, gradually expanding its influence (Matt. 13:31–33).

Pastor David Jang teaches that an attitude of “praise and thanksgiving” naturally arises in those who are certain of the salvation of history and the arrival of God’s Kingdom. Just as Paul confessed in Ephesians 1, he “could not help but praise” because he clearly understood his reasons for praising. That reason for praise is not mere psychological comfort but rather the overwhelming gratitude for the event of salvation, in which those who were spiritually dead in sin “were saved by grace.” Everyone was once “by nature children of wrath,” following the ways of the world and the ruler of the air, hopelessly unable to save themselves. Yet through Jesus Christ, who was “delivered up” on the cross, we have been “freely” saved, defeating the power of sin and death by His mighty life and raising us up again. This gratitude overflows into praise.

Those who experience this grace also serve the world with a thankful heart. Referencing Ephesians 2:10—“created in Christ Jesus to do good works”—Pastor David Jang notes that gratitude and praise should never remain on our lips alone but manifest as “fruit borne in action.” Just as Paul, once a “chief of sinners,” dedicated his entire life to preaching the gospel after discovering this grace, so believers today, having been saved from past sin, ought to “respond with thankfulness, perform good works, and contribute to the expansion of God’s Kingdom.” This becomes possible only when we realize that our capability is not our own but stems from being “seated with Christ in the heavenly realms” and sharing His authority. Hence Pastor David Jang concludes, “The purpose of our salvation is for us to do the good works God has prepared, and through them, God’s glory is revealed.”

Therefore, Ephesians 2 is a “chapter of grace” that evokes endless gratitude and praise. Although we might think we are alive, from God’s perspective we were once dead in sin—but now, in Christ, we have obtained true life and are taught that “it is only right to live anew.” Pastor David Jang summarizes this as “the proclamation of the gospel in Ephesians,” as well as “the key to practically understanding God’s grand and profound plan of salvation.” We were once dead, off the path due to sin; now, in Christ, we have been newly created to do good works. This reveals the reason for every Christian’s existence and calling. Clinging to this truth allows us to remain confident that no matter how dark our reality may seem or how dominant Satan’s power appears, history is already moving toward the “future determined in Christ.”

Accordingly, Pastor David Jang teaches through Ephesians 2 that this gospel—“those who were dead in transgressions and sins have been made alive together with Christ and seated with Him in heaven”—must be our “eternal song and prayer.” Such praise and thanksgiving make the church community more spiritually vibrant and enable it to exert a positive influence on the world, ultimately progressing toward the goal of “the restoration of God’s Kingdom.” He consistently shares this message: “We know for certain where our ship is heading—it is the Kingdom of God. In Jesus Christ, all things will be united, the old history has ended through Christ’s cross and resurrection, and the new history has already begun. Therefore, do not waver. You who have been saved by grace, live as those who do good works, praising and giving thanks.”

The message of Ephesians 2 that Pastor David Jang presents essentially reawakens the identity of both the church and individual Christians. “You were dead, but now you are alive. You have been made alive with Christ and ultimately look to the Kingdom of God as you do good works on this earth.” He underscores that holding to these truths is central to our faith. Gratitude, praise, and conviction that flow from this central truth transform every aspect of our lives and ultimately testify to the gospel in the world along the path God has prepared. In this light, Ephesians 2 becomes the confession and testimony of all those who have passed “from death to life, from wrath to grace” in Jesus Christ. And its ultimate destination is the “Kingdom of God.” Having been saved through Christ, we are all granted the privilege of joining this grand historical procession, and that is why praise and thanksgiving are only fitting. This, Pastor David Jang affirms, is the core message of Ephesians 2.

La gracia de la salvación – Pastor David Jang

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I. El pecado humano y la gracia de Dios

Antes de explicar el tema central del capítulo 2 de Efesios, el pastor David Jang enfatiza primero la razón de la alabanza y la acción de gracias que el apóstol Pablo registra en Efesios 1. En este capítulo, Pablo declara: “para reunir todas las cosas en Cristo, en la dispensación del cumplimiento de los tiempos, así las que están en los cielos como las que están en la tierra” (Ef 1:10). Esto no solo aborda la salvación individual, sino que señala la “gran direccionalidad de la historia”. El pastor David Jang interpreta que el hecho de dividir la historia en a.C. (antes de Cristo) y d.C. (después de Cristo) demuestra que la venida de Cristo es el evento central de la historia. En otras palabras, la historia “avanza en un gran proceso de unificación en Cristo”, lo cual implica una “visión escatológica” y un “nuevo comienzo”.

A la luz de este gran fluir histórico, el pastor David Jang, además de enseñar a quienes llegan por primera vez a la iglesia el resumen convencional de “creación-pecado-Cristo-salvación” (las Cuatro Leyes Espirituales), añade el concepto de “el reino de Dios” y presenta una perspectiva ampliada: “creación-pecado-salvación a través de Cristo-el reino de Dios”. La razón es que toda la Biblia, en conjunto, se desarrolla con el fin de restaurar y consumar el reino de Dios. Según su explicación, el reino de Dios comenzó con la primera venida de Jesucristo y su sacrificio expiatorio en la cruz, se sigue expandiendo hoy y finalmente se consumará por completo. Por tanto, la fe cristiana no queda limitada a la salvación individual, sino que, dentro de la amplia “salvación de la historia”, apunta en última instancia a la venida del reino de Dios.

El pastor David Jang indica que, así como Pablo menciona en Efesios 1 que él tenía razones para “alabar”, quienes reciben la gracia de la salvación experimentan naturalmente un desbordamiento de alabanza y de oración. El capítulo 1 de Efesios está rebosante de alabanza y oración. Además, señala que “la oración de Pablo es un modelo que nos muestra por qué y por qué debemos orar”, subrayando en particular el contenido de la oración de Pablo que aparece en la segunda mitad de Efesios 1. Se trata de una petición de orden superior, no un deseo superficial, pues abarca el plan de salvación y el gobierno de Dios, así como el espíritu de sabiduría y de revelación para la humanidad. En otras palabras, cuando Pablo pide que “los ojos de vuestro corazón sean iluminados”, no se refiere a un simple conocimiento, sino a la “iluminación del corazón” para comprender la voluntad de Dios.

En este contexto, el pastor David Jang redirige la atención al problema de la caída y el pecado humanos. En un principio, Dios creó un mundo hermoso y, particularmente, creó al hombre a Su imagen y lo consideró “en gran manera bueno”, pero la humanidad, debido al pecado, cayó y quedó apartada de su relación con Dios, sumida en el desorden y la confusión. Esto recuerda las palabras que Samuel dirigió a Saúl en 1 Samuel 15:23: “Por cuanto tú desechaste la palabra de Jehová, él también te ha desechado para que no seas rey”. El punto fundamental radica en que el hombre “abandonó a Dios primero”. El pastor David Jang destaca que “este es el plano profundo que enseña la Biblia”: las personas, aun después de haber pecado y abandonado a Dios, tienden a creer que Él las desechó, cuando en realidad fue la humanidad la que se apartó primero, quedando así bajo Su ira.

Con todo, la compasión y el amor de Dios hacia los pecadores son inagotables. Para salvar a quienes yacían en pecado, Dios envió a Su Hijo, “dio a Su unigénito” (Jn 3:16) e invitó a la humanidad a ese evangelio. El pastor David Jang subraya que el acontecimiento de la cruz de Jesucristo fue un suceso de “redención” (Redemption). Tal como en la antigüedad se “compraba a un esclavo con dinero para darle libertad”, Jesucristo, pagando con su propia vida —la ofrenda más valiosa—, liberó a la humanidad de su esclavitud al pecado. Así, luego de exponer el patrón “creación-pecado-Cristo-salvación”, el pastor David Jang agrega la premisa de que “toda la Biblia culmina finalmente en el reino de Dios”. De este modo, ensalza cuán majestuosa y a la vez diáfana resulta la historia de la salvación de Dios que, según Efesios, “recapitula todas las cosas en Cristo”.

Como consecuencia, el capítulo 1 de Efesios concluye con “alabanza” y “oración”. Tal como muestra la confesión de Pablo, cuando el hombre, pecador, experimenta la salvación por la gracia de Dios, brota en su interior una alabanza incontenible y, al mismo tiempo, nace la “oración sagrada” que anhela profundizar en esa gracia. El pastor David Jang explica que, cuanto más crece esta “conciencia de la gracia”, más se amplía la visión de la oración, abarcando la salvación histórica y el reino de Dios. Precisamente aquí radica la singularidad y la gran dimensión de Efesios, una carta que atraviesa simultáneamente la “historia y la salvación”.

II. El pecado, la culpa y la certeza de la salvación

Al adentrarse en Efesios 2, el pastor David Jang resalta el contraste impactante que encierra la afirmación inicial de Efesios 2:1: “Y él os dio vida a vosotros, cuando estabais muertos en vuestros delitos y pecados”. Pablo, que al final de Efesios 1 proclama que “toda la historia se recapitula finalmente en Cristo”, ahora, en el capítulo 2, ilustra de forma descarnada cómo ese proceso de unificación supone un cambio de “muerte a vida”.

Primero, repara en la diferencia entre “delitos” (παράπτωμα, paráptoma) y “pecados” (ἁμαρτία, jamartía) que menciona el versículo 1 de Efesios 2. El pastor David Jang explica que “delito” conlleva la idea de “apartarse de la trayectoria” (fall away), subrayando que el hombre se salió de la órbita designada. Mientras el universo entero orbita alrededor del sol, y la naturaleza y las criaturas siguen las leyes que les fueron asignadas, solo la humanidad ha abandonado la órbita propia que le correspondía como creación. Por su parte, “pecado” (jamartía) deriva de “errar al blanco” (missing the mark), y describe la descomposición y confusión totales que surgen al no acertar en el centro de la diana.

El pastor David Jang explica que el versículo 2 de Efesios 2 (“en los cuales anduvisteis en otro tiempo, siguiendo la corriente de este mundo, conforme al príncipe de la potestad del aire…”) sugiere que el problema no se circunscribe al pecado individual, sino que abarca la dimensión estructural, pues los seres humanos viven arrastrados por “el príncipe de la potestad del aire (Satanás)” que domina el sistema del mundo. Es decir, muchos conciben el pecado como algo ajeno a Dios o un asunto meramente entre los hombres, pero la Biblia muestra que existe un poder maligno que manipula la cultura, los valores y las ideologías, “maximizando el caudal del pecado”. La ciudad de Éfeso, donde se ubicaba la iglesia destinataria de la carta, albergaba el gran templo de la diosa Artemisa y era célebre por su idolatría y libertinaje sexual. El pastor David Jang recalca que, en aquella sociedad, “la gente practicaba la idolatría y la inmoralidad, y vivía arrastrada por esa cultura depravada”. Así, comprendemos que la advertencia de Efesios sobre “seguir la corriente de este mundo y al príncipe de la potestad del aire” no constituía una advertencia abstracta, sino una realidad muy concreta en aquel entonces.

Asimismo, el pastor David Jang subraya que la expresión “éramos por naturaleza hijos de ira” (Ef 2:3) coincide con la enseñanza de Romanos 1, donde Pablo menciona que “la ira de Dios se revela desde el cielo contra toda impiedad e injusticia de los hombres que detienen con injusticia la verdad”. Al aludir a la ira de Dios, en la era moderna puede parecer que se opone al amor de Dios. Pero, en palabras del pastor David Jang, la razón por la que Dios se enoja es que “el hombre lo desechó y se sumergió en la injusticia, la idolatría y los pecados que causan daño mutuo”. La ira de Dios no se opone a Su amor, sino que constituye la actitud inherente de un Dios santo que aborrece el pecado, es decir, un “juicio justo” encaminado a la restauración. El hombre, al abandonar su trayectoria, se convirtió en objeto de la ira de Dios, pero Efesios 2 expone el mensaje de un giro sorprendente: Dios, en su amor y misericordia, ofrece al hombre una vía de salvación.

“Pero Dios, que es rico en misericordia, por su gran amor con que nos amó, aun estando nosotros muertos en pecados, nos dio vida juntamente con Cristo…” (Ef 2:4-5). El pastor David Jang recalca que la salvación es plenamente un acto de gracia divina. Aunque fue el hombre quien se apartó de Dios, Él nunca se rindió con respecto a la humanidad, sino que, a través del sacrificio extremo de Su Hijo, abrió el camino de la vida eterna al pecador. Por ello, Efesios 2:8-9 declara con claridad: “Porque por gracia sois salvos por medio de la fe; y esto no de vosotros, pues es don de Dios; no por obras, para que nadie se gloríe”. Al hilo de este pasaje, el pastor David Jang enfatiza que no debemos olvidar que “nuestra salvación es un regalo de Dios, y no un logro basado en nuestras obras o en nuestra justicia”.

Para poner de relieve que el meollo de la salvación reside en la “gracia anterior a toda obra”, el pastor David Jang menciona la máxima de la Reforma “Sola Gratia (solo por gracia)” y recuerda la relación entre gracia y fe. La gracia antecede, y la fe es el medio para recibirla. Ninguna obra nuestra puede ir antes que ella. Pablo también insiste en que “por tanto, nadie puede jactarse” (Ef 2:9). El pastor David Jang propone una analogía: “Echar méritos humanos a la gracia es como mezclar agua con el vino; no debe hacerse”, y recalca que la absolutidad de la gracia es el cimiento de la fe cristiana.

Más adelante, se alude a la expresión “somos hechura suya” (Ef 2:10), profundizando en la palabra griega “poiema (ποίημα)”, que significa “lo que Dios ha creado, Su obra maestra”. El pastor David Jang lo relaciona con la idea de que “en Cristo hemos sido hechos nuevas criaturas” (2 Co 5:17), subrayando que la salvación va más allá de la simple remisión del pecado y la cancelación de la condena, llegando a la recreación del ser entero. Además, enlaza el propósito de la salvación con la parte que dice: “creados en Cristo Jesús para buenas obras, las cuales Dios preparó de antemano para que anduviésemos en ellas” (Ef 2:10). Dicho de otro modo, quienes han sido salvados por gracia son llamados a vivir “las buenas obras que Dios ya preparó”. Para el pastor David Jang, este texto deja claro cómo debe conducirse un cristiano en el mundo: los que recibieron la salvación por la gracia, mediante la fe, han de “practicar el bien, ser luz y sal en medio de la sociedad, y caminar gozosos por la senda que Dios ha dispuesto”.

Así, en Efesios 2:1-10, el “tránsito de la muerte a la vida” se describe como que el hombre, apartado de la órbita y errando el blanco por culpa del pecado, es levantado de nuevo “en Cristo”. El pastor David Jang señala que esta experiencia constituye “la esencia del evangelio, por la cual debemos vivir eternamente agradecidos y en alabanza”. Aun cuando la existencia del pecador parecía condenada e insignificante, la inmensa misericordia y el amor de Dios irrumpieron y, “juntamente con Cristo, nos vivificó, nos resucitó y nos hizo sentar en los lugares celestiales”, de modo que toda nuestra vida puede transformarse en una canción de gratitud.

III. La confianza en “el reino de Dios”

El pastor David Jang sintetiza que el mensaje que conecta Efesios 1 y 2 es la “venida de Jesucristo como el fin de la historia y, a la vez, un nuevo inicio”. Efesios 1:10 (“para reunir todas las cosas en Cristo…”) declara a qué punto se encamina la historia y cuál es su meta definitiva. Jesucristo es la conclusión del Antiguo Testamento y el comienzo del Nuevo Testamento; tal como expresa Apocalipsis al decir que Él es “el Alfa y la Omega”, Cristo es a la vez el origen y la culminación de la historia. El pastor David Jang evoca la noción de “Punto Omega” de Teilhard de Chardin y reflexiona: “Así como el Punto Omega del Antiguo Testamento es Cristo, el Punto Omega del Nuevo Testamento es el reino de Dios”. En definitiva, el fin de los tiempos supone “el cierre de la vieja historia y la inauguración de la historia nueva”, y afirma que esto dio comienzo con la primera venida de Jesús.

En ese sentido, la historia no fluye simplemente hacia la nada, sino que “converge en el reino de Dios, en Cristo”, según el plan divino. El pastor David Jang recuerda que Pablo, en la conclusión del libro de los Hechos (Hch 28:31), predica acerca de “el reino de Dios y Jesucristo”, y que, antes de la ascensión de Jesús, los discípulos preguntaron: “Señor, ¿restaurarás el reino a Israel en este tiempo?” (Hch 1:6), manifestando su anhelo de la consumación de ese reino. Así también, para los cristianos del Nuevo Testamento, este reino ya ha comenzado, pero todavía no está completo y sigue expandiéndose. Al orar “venga tu reino”, participamos activamente de esa “certeza escatológica y de la obra presente”.

Por ende, cuando Efesios proclama que “la vieja historia de pecado y maldad termina con la cruz y se abre una nueva historia de vida”, nos está enseñando “qué conciencia de la historia debe tener la Iglesia en la actualidad”. El pastor David Jang usa la metáfora de la navegación sin rumbo y advierte: “Si no sabemos hacia dónde va la historia, no sabremos en qué dirección navega nuestro propio barco y terminaremos a la deriva”. De ahí que recalque que el cristiano debe vivir con una “meta clara”: la consumación del reino de Dios. Es decir, la vida y el ministerio que realizamos “se integran en el gran fluir de la historia en Cristo”; y, así como la parábola del grano de mostaza y la levadura (Mt 13:31-33) muestra que el reino de Dios crece y fermenta hasta transformar todo, su influencia se sigue expandiendo.

El pastor David Jang señala que esta seguridad sobre la salvación de la historia y la llegada del reino de Dios se plasma en la práctica en “alabanza y gratitud”. En Efesios 1, Pablo declara que su vida es una alabanza, reconociendo que “tenía razones para alabar”. Esa razón no se limita a un consuelo psicológico, sino que deriva del evento de la salvación que liberó al pecador “por gracia”. Todos eran, “por naturaleza, hijos de ira”, atrapados por el príncipe de la potestad del aire y las corrientes de este mundo, sin la mínima posibilidad de rescatarse a sí mismos. Pero Jesucristo, al ser “entregado” en la cruz, concedió la salvación gratuitamente y quebrantó el poder del pecado y de la muerte, levantando al hombre a una vida nueva. De ahí nace el agradecimiento que motiva la alabanza.

Además, quienes experimentan esta gracia aprenden a servir al mundo con una actitud agradecida. El pastor David Jang, citando Efesios 2:10, donde se afirma que somos creados “para buenas obras”, comenta que la gratitud y la alabanza no pueden quedarse en los labios, sino que han de “producir frutos en acciones concretas”. De la misma manera en que el apóstol Pablo, reconociéndose “el primero de los pecadores”, consagró su vida entera a la predicación del evangelio después de recibir la gracia, los creyentes de hoy también “expresan agradecimiento por la salvación de la que fueron partícipes cuando vivían en su pecado y, ahora, practican el bien y participan en la expansión del reino de Dios”. Esto no es posible por mérito propio, sino al comprender que “hemos sido vivificados junto con Cristo, y con Él hemos recibido autoridad, sentados en los lugares celestiales”. Así, el pastor David Jang concluye: “Dios nos salvó para que andemos en las buenas obras que Él preparó de antemano, y en ese caminar se manifiesta Su gloria”.

En consecuencia, Efesios 2 constituye un “capítulo de gracia” que despierta en nosotros un cántico y un reconocimiento incesantes. Aunque algunos se crean vivos por sus propios medios, si se contempla desde la óptica de Dios, vivían muertos por el pecado; sin embargo, ahora obtuvieron la vida verdadera en Cristo y el texto afirma que “es natural vivir de manera nueva”. El pastor David Jang resume que este es “el anuncio del evangelio en Efesios” y también “la clave para entender de forma práctica el sublime y profundo plan de salvación de Dios”. Quienes antes estaban muertos por el pecado y habían abandonado su órbita son ahora recreados como nuevas criaturas en Cristo, llamados a obrar el bien. Así resplandece la razón de ser y la misión de cada cristiano. Y, al aferrarnos a esta verdad, por muy oscura que parezca la realidad o por grande que sea la autoridad de Satanás, tenemos la certeza de que la historia se encamina ya hacia el “futuro determinado en Cristo”.

Así, a través de Efesios 2, el pastor David Jang enfatiza que el evangelio, que anuncia que los que estábamos muertos en nuestros delitos y pecados hemos sido vivificados y sentados en los lugares celestiales con Cristo, ha de transformarse en nuestro “cántico y oración eternos”. Dicha alabanza y gratitud robustecen la salud espiritual de la comunidad eclesial, irradian influencia positiva al mundo y, en última instancia, apuntan a “la restauración del reino de Dios”. Él insiste: “Sabemos cuál es nuestro puerto de destino: el reino de Dios. En Cristo todo se unifica; la antigua historia llega a su fin por medio de la cruz y la resurrección, y la nueva historia ya ha comenzado. Por lo tanto, no dudéis. Vosotros, que habéis sido salvados por gracia, sed aquellos que, mientras hacen el bien, alaban y dan gracias”.

En su mensaje sobre Efesios 2, el pastor David Jang busca reavivar la identidad de la iglesia y de los cristianos. “Estabais muertos, pero ahora estáis vivos; habéis resucitado con Cristo, y, en definitiva, se os llama a contemplar el reino de Dios y a practicar el bien en esta tierra”. Aferrarse a esta verdad constituye la esencia de la fe. De ahí brotan la gratitud, la alabanza y la certeza que renuevan toda la existencia y dan testimonio del evangelio ante el mundo, mientras transitamos la senda que Dios preparó. Bajo esta perspectiva, Efesios 2 se erige como la proclamación y testimonio de todos los que pasaron “de la muerte a la vida, de la ira a la gracia” en Cristo, con “el reino de Dios” como objetivo definitivo. Los salvados por medio de Cristo participan de esta enorme marcha histórica y, por ello, su respuesta más natural es la alabanza y la acción de gracias. Este es el mensaje central que el pastor David Jang expone en Efesios 2.

The Grace of Salvation – Pastor David Jang

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I. Human Sin and God’s Grace

Before delving into the central theme of Ephesians 2, Pastor David Jang emphasizes the reasons for praise and thanksgiving that the Apostle Paul recorded in Ephesians 1. In Ephesians 1, Paul says, “to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Eph. 1:10). Pastor David Jang interprets this as a verse revealing the ‘grand direction of history,’ going far beyond mere individual salvation. The fact that history is divided into B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini) itself indicates that the coming of Christ is the pivotal event in history. History is “moving toward unity in Christ,” and this signifies an ‘eschatological vision’ and a ‘new beginning.’

Within this grand flow of history, Pastor David Jang usually teaches newcomers to the church the so-called “Four Spiritual Laws,” often summarized as Creation–Sin–Christ–Salvation, but he expands it by adding “the Kingdom of God.” Thus he teaches Creation–Sin–Salvation through Christ–the Kingdom of God. The reason is that the entire Bible unfolds in a trajectory that ultimately seeks to restore and perfect God’s Kingdom. According to him, the Kingdom of God began with the first coming of Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the cross, continues to expand even now, and will be completed in the end. Therefore, Christian faith is not confined merely to individual salvation but directs our gaze to the “salvation of history,” culminating in the coming of the Kingdom of God in a grander dimension.

Pastor David Jang explains that just as Paul in Ephesians 1 had “reason to praise,” those who have received the grace of salvation naturally overflow with praise and prayer. Ephesians 1 is filled with praise and prayer. He highlights that “Paul’s prayer is a model showing us what we should pray for,” particularly drawing attention to the content of Paul’s prayer in the latter part of Ephesians 1. That prayer does not merely present superficial wishes; it is a lofty petition for God’s plan of salvation, His sovereignty, and for the spirit of wisdom and revelation to enlighten believers. In other words, Paul seeks the believers’ “hearts to be enlightened,” pointing to a ‘spiritual awakening’ that goes beyond mere knowledge to grasp God’s will.

In this context, Pastor David Jang naturally shifts his focus to the fall and sin of humanity. God originally created a beautiful world and declared that His creation, especially humans made in His image, was “very good.” Yet humanity fell into sin, breaking its relationship with God and descending into disorder and confusion. He compares this to 1 Samuel 15:23, where Samuel tells Saul, “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you.” The fundamental cause is that humanity “has first abandoned God.” Pastor David Jang calls this “the deep truth the Bible teaches,” pointing out that people who have turned away from God and sinned often believe instead that God has forsaken them. Yet in reality, humans were the first to turn their backs on God, thereby becoming objects of wrath.

Despite this, God’s compassion and love toward sinners know no bounds. He sent His Son to save those mired in sin, inviting humanity through the good news that “He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16). Pastor David Jang especially emphasizes the cross of Jesus Christ as an event of “Redemption.” Drawing on the ancient backdrop of the term “redemption” (in which one could purchase a slave with money and grant them freedom), he explains that Jesus paid the most precious price—His own life—to liberate humankind from its slavery to sin. Thus, following the typical Four Spiritual Laws—Creation, Sin, Christ, Salvation—Pastor David Jang introduces the overarching premise that the entire Bible “ultimately converges on the Kingdom of God,” underscoring how majestic and clear the salvation history of God is, as presented in Ephesians, which speaks of “bringing all things together in Christ.”

Consequently, the conclusion of Ephesians 1 can be summarized as “praise” and “prayer.” As Paul’s confession shows, once sinners are saved by God’s grace, praise wells up from the depths of their hearts, and a “holy prayer” naturally follows, seeking to understand and experience God’s grace more fully. Pastor David Jang explains that as our “awareness of grace” deepens, our prayers gain a broader perspective, aimed at the Kingdom of God and the salvation of history. This is where Ephesians displays its unique scale, simultaneously encompassing “history and salvation” in one epistle.

II. Transgressions, Sin, and the Certainty of Salvation

Moving on to Ephesians 2, Pastor David Jang highlights the dramatic reversal found in the first verse: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins—He made you alive!” Paul, having declared at the end of Ephesians 1 that “history will ultimately be united in Christ,” now shows in chapter 2 just how stark the transformation from death to life is in that unifying process.

First, we note the distinction in Ephesians 2:1 between “transgressions (παράπτωμα, paraptōma)” and “sins (ἁμαρτία, hamartia).” Pastor David Jang explains that “transgression” means “falling away from the right path (fall away),” indicating that humanity strayed from the path (or orbit) it was originally meant to follow. All creation orbits around the sun according to its designated path; even nature and animals follow the laws given to them. Only humankind has deviated from its ordained orbit and design. “Sin (hamartia)” has the root meaning of “missing the mark,” failing to hit the center of the target and thus leading to a state where everything is tangled—disorder and confusion.

Pastor David Jang then points to Ephesians 2:2: “in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air…” He explains that humanity’s sin is not merely individual but structurally embedded in the “world governed by the ruler of the air (Satan).” People often consider sin as something unrelated to God or solely a human matter, but Scripture reveals an evil spiritual power behind it—“the ruler of the air”—which manipulates worldly trends (ideologies, cultures, values) to maximize “the flow of sin.” The city of Ephesus, where the Ephesian church was located, was dominated by the enormous Temple of Artemis, rife with sexual immorality and idolatry. Pastor David Jang notes that understanding this cultural context—“the idolatry, immorality, and corrupt culture they followed”—is crucial. Hence the description in Ephesians of “following the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air” is not abstract theory but was a very real issue for the people of that time.

Additionally, Pastor David Jang observes that the phrase in Ephesians 2:3 calling us “by nature deserving of wrath” corresponds with Romans 1, where Paul states that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” Modern readers often misunderstand God’s wrath as conflicting with His love. But according to Pastor David Jang, God’s wrath is provoked because “humankind abandoned God, engaged in unrighteousness and idolatry, and fell into sins that harm one another.” Thus, God’s wrath is not the opposite of love; rather, it is the intrinsic attitude of the holy God who hates sin and executes a “righteous judgment” for the sake of restoration. Humanity, having willfully abandoned its orbit, became deserving of wrath by nature, yet Ephesians 2 proclaims the reversal that God, full of mercy, has provided a way of salvation for humankind.

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions…” (Eph. 2:4–5). Here Pastor David Jang repeatedly underscores that salvation is God’s grace. Humanity may have turned away from God, yet God never abandoned humankind; ultimately, He granted eternal life to sinners at the extreme cost of sacrificing His own Son. Hence Ephesians 2:8–9 declares, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Pastor David Jang emphasizes that we must never forget that “our salvation is entirely God’s gift, not based on our works, merits, or righteousness.”

To further highlight that salvation is “grace before works,” Pastor David Jang references the Reformation principle Sola Gratia (“by grace alone”), recalling the historic emphasis on the relationship between “grace” and “faith.” Grace comes first, and faith is the channel by which we receive that grace; no matter how upright our actions might be, they can never come before grace. Thus Paul categorically states, “so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:9). Pastor David Jang uses the metaphor “You do not dilute wine with water” to illustrate that we must never mix works-based merit into grace. The absolute nature of grace is the foundation of Christian faith.

Moving on, he explains the phrase “we are God’s handiwork” (Eph. 2:10) from the Greek word poiēma (ποίημα), interpreting it as “those newly created in Christ.” Revisiting the concept of “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17), Pastor David Jang contends that salvation is not merely about forgiveness of sins or escaping punishment but constitutes a fundamental re-creation of our very being. He then connects this to God’s purpose for salvation: “created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Eph. 2:10). Those who have been saved by grace are called to a life that carries out “the good works God has prepared in advance.” Pastor David Jang finds in this verse clear guidance for how Christians should live in the world. Having been saved by grace through faith, believers “ought to do good works, shine as light and salt in the world, and walk joyfully in the path God has prepared.”

Thus, Ephesians 2:1–10 speaks of a transition “from death to life,” summarizing how those who had transgressed and missed the mark were “raised again in Christ.” Pastor David Jang stresses that this is “the very essence of the gospel for which we must be grateful and praise God throughout our lives.” For sinners whose lives seemed hopeless and meaningless, God’s vast mercy and love have come upon them, enabling them to “be made alive with Christ, raised with Christ, and seated with Him in the heavenly realms,” sharing in His glory. Consequently, our entire life can become a song of thanksgiving.

III. The Assurance of “the Kingdom of God”

Pastor David Jang summarizes the overarching theme of Ephesians 1–2 as “the coming of Jesus Christ, which marks both the end and the new beginning of history.” When Ephesians 1:10 says, “to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ,” it declares where history is headed and what its endpoint is. Jesus Christ stands as the conclusion of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament, being “the Alpha and the Omega,” as stated in Revelation. Pastor David Jang compares this to Teilhard de Chardin’s idea of the “Omega Point,” saying, “Just as the Omega Point of the Old Testament is Jesus Christ, the Omega Point of the New Testament is the Kingdom of God.” Thus, the end times signify “the end of the old history and the beginning of a new one,” and he believes this new history already started with the first coming of Jesus Christ.

Hence history is not a meaningless stream that eventually vanishes but a planned journey “that converges on the Kingdom of God in Christ.” Relying on this certainty, Pastor David Jang recalls how Paul in Acts 28 “proclaimed the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28:31). He also refers to the question from the disciples just before Jesus’ ascension—“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)—noting that their inquiry indicates a “hope for the restoration of the kingdom,” or the completion of God’s Kingdom. Likewise, for Christians living in the New Testament era, that Kingdom has already begun but is not yet complete; it continues to expand in the present. In our prayers, when we say “Your kingdom come,” we are participating in and expressing faith in both the eschatological reality and its present unfolding.

Thus Paul’s declaration in Ephesians that “the old history of sin has met its end through the cross, and a new era of life has opened” instructs the church today on “what historical perspective we should hold.” Pastor David Jang uses a metaphor: “If you do not know where history is going, you will drift aimlessly, not knowing where your ship is headed.” He urges Christians to live with a “clear destination,” namely, the “completion of God’s Kingdom.” In Christ, our lives and ministries participate in “the grand flow of history,” so even amid our present world, that Kingdom grows like a mustard seed, or like yeast that works its way through the whole batch of dough, gradually expanding its influence (Matt. 13:31–33).

Pastor David Jang teaches that an attitude of “praise and thanksgiving” naturally arises in those who are certain of the salvation of history and the arrival of God’s Kingdom. Just as Paul confessed in Ephesians 1, he “could not help but praise” because he clearly understood his reasons for praising. That reason for praise is not mere psychological comfort but rather the overwhelming gratitude for the event of salvation, in which those who were spiritually dead in sin “were saved by grace.” Everyone was once “by nature children of wrath,” following the ways of the world and the ruler of the air, hopelessly unable to save themselves. Yet through Jesus Christ, who was “delivered up” on the cross, we have been “freely” saved, defeating the power of sin and death by His mighty life and raising us up again. This gratitude overflows into praise.

Those who experience this grace also serve the world with a thankful heart. Referencing Ephesians 2:10—“created in Christ Jesus to do good works”—Pastor David Jang notes that gratitude and praise should never remain on our lips alone but manifest as “fruit borne in action.” Just as Paul, once a “chief of sinners,” dedicated his entire life to preaching the gospel after discovering this grace, so believers today, having been saved from past sin, ought to “respond with thankfulness, perform good works, and contribute to the expansion of God’s Kingdom.” This becomes possible only when we realize that our capability is not our own but stems from being “seated with Christ in the heavenly realms” and sharing His authority. Hence Pastor David Jang concludes, “The purpose of our salvation is for us to do the good works God has prepared, and through them, God’s glory is revealed.”

Therefore, Ephesians 2 is a “chapter of grace” that evokes endless gratitude and praise. Although we might think we are alive, from God’s perspective we were once dead in sin—but now, in Christ, we have obtained true life and are taught that “it is only right to live anew.” Pastor David Jang summarizes this as “the proclamation of the gospel in Ephesians,” as well as “the key to practically understanding God’s grand and profound plan of salvation.” We were once dead, off the path due to sin; now, in Christ, we have been newly created to do good works. This reveals the reason for every Christian’s existence and calling. Clinging to this truth allows us to remain confident that no matter how dark our reality may seem or how dominant Satan’s power appears, history is already moving toward the “future determined in Christ.”

Accordingly, Pastor David Jang teaches through Ephesians 2 that this gospel—“those who were dead in transgressions and sins have been made alive together with Christ and seated with Him in heaven”—must be our “eternal song and prayer.” Such praise and thanksgiving make the church community more spiritually vibrant and enable it to exert a positive influence on the world, ultimately progressing toward the goal of “the restoration of God’s Kingdom.” He consistently shares this message: “We know for certain where our ship is heading—it is the Kingdom of God. In Jesus Christ, all things will be united, the old history has ended through Christ’s cross and resurrection, and the new history has already begun. Therefore, do not waver. You who have been saved by grace, live as those who do good works, praising and giving thanks.”

The message of Ephesians 2 that Pastor David Jang presents essentially reawakens the identity of both the church and individual Christians. “You were dead, but now you are alive. You have been made alive with Christ and ultimately look to the Kingdom of God as you do good works on this earth.” He underscores that holding to these truths is central to our faith. Gratitude, praise, and conviction that flow from this central truth transform every aspect of our lives and ultimately testify to the gospel in the world along the path God has prepared. In this light, Ephesians 2 becomes the confession and testimony of all those who have passed “from death to life, from wrath to grace” in Jesus Christ. And its ultimate destination is the “Kingdom of God.” Having been saved through Christ, we are all granted the privilege of joining this grand historical procession, and that is why praise and thanksgiving are only fitting. This, Pastor David Jang affirms, is the core message of Ephesians 2.