The formerly–now motif in Ephesians demonstrating the Pauline "in Christ" indicative and its correlating ethical imperative

Abstract

The formerly-now motif in Ephesians is investigated in this article. Since the motif is an expression of conversion, it must correlate with the Pauline indicative-imperative theology. Conversion is a matter of change in relation to Christ, and change has both temporal and “spatial” (or rather positional) connotations. The temporal side of conversion is able to see things in its past and present contexts. In the past we were far from God, but now, at the present time, we have been brought near. Yet, what is being seen in temporal terms is also “spatial”; the former location and the now-location are exemplified. Before conversion we were dead in sins and outside Christ, but now we are alive in Christ. Four such conversion-dualistic concepts under the formerly-now motif in Ephesians are here demonstrated; and with all of them, also the correlating indicative and its corresponding ethical imperative