You were dead in your . . . sins. (Eph. 2:1)
Expanded Passage: Ephesians 2:1-7
Trying to reach Sonny with the message of salvation was a challenge. His argument was, “Why do I need Jesus Christ as my Savior? I am not a bad man. I haven’t killed anyone, robbed anyone, or used bad language. I am not a drunkard. Overall, I am a very good person.” I asked Sonny and his wife, Annie, if I could lead them in a brief Bible study. They consented to meet for three weeks on Tuesday nights.
During one of these studies, we read Ephesians 2, and I explained to them what the word sin that is used in this chapter actually means in the Greek language. “Sonny, to sin is to miss the mark. A man shoots an arrow and misses the target. Sin is the failure to hit the target of life. A crucial factor in that mark-missing, though, is why we all do so, without fail.” I then allowed Sonny time to think about this.
A few days later, Sonny came to me and said, “I think I understand. Killing someone, stealing, and being a drunkard are sinful. So is having a bad attitude, being filled with bitterness, or having an unforgiving spirit. Sin is not being all I can be in God.” Soon afterward Sonny surrendered his life to God and became a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.
Confess your sins and become a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.
Jim “Umfundisi” Lo is an ordained elder in The Wesleyan Church, serving in prayer ministries, as well as Global Partners. He previously served as a pastor, missionary, and campus intercessor for Indiana Wesleyan University. He and his wife, Roxene, have two sons and two granddaughters.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
