Ephesians 2:1-3  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Quickened: Restore to life, made alive. Dead: Spiritually We were made alive when once we were spiritually dead in our trespasses and sins. Trespass: Falling away from right, truth, when you know, deliberately. Sin: Failing to hit the mark. In time past we walked just as the world does, in sin with our enemy, satan. We were once sinners.

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:⁷ That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

But: Used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting with what has already been mentioned. *I know this is who you were before* But because of His great love for us even though we were sinners forgave us and made us alive in Him.  He showed grace to us, undeserved forgiveness.  What is grace to you? Think about it.   And it was nothing that we could do, no it was only by the blood of Jesus, that’s right no one wants to hear about the blood anymore but it’s only by the blood of Jesus that you can be saved, you can’t earn it and you can’t buy your way to salvation, only Jesus.   Look at verse 10, workmanship- thing that is made, measured and made to Taylor. Precisely to the measurements needed to make after a pattern. God knew how He wanted you and me, each one of us to be. He measured and put into us just what He knew we needed to accomplish and be to fulfill the destiny He had for us.  Before we were born He designed us to His liking.

11-18 talks about the Gentiles and Jews and how Christ came to make the two, one in Him. Before Christ, there was a barrier in the temple that separated the Jews and gentiles and if a gentile crossed it they were to be put to death immediately. But Jesus put an end to the separation, making us one in Him.

¹⁹ Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;²⁰ And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;²¹ In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:²² In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Therefore- for that reason- Because Jesus died for our sins & tore down the separation between us we are equal & have the same rights as all of God’s household.

The apostles and prophets were the foundation of the church because they pointed to and was a witnessed to Jesus. But Jesus is the rock on which the whole church is built.  The cornerstone was usually the largest the most solid & carefully constructed. Provides the firm foundation. 

We are being built up with Christ and in Christ we can stand firmly planted.