Eph 2:12-13, 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13…
The apostle further proceeds to remind believers of their former hopeless condition without Christ. Converted sinners ought to frequently reflect upon the sinfulness and misery of the state they were in by nature and continue to be thankful for the saving grace.
The bad news was that the Gentiles were Christless with no knowledge of the Messiah. They were cut off or aliens from the commonwealth of Israel both as to their temporal privileges and spiritual blessings. They were strangers to God’s plan for salvation with no hope. The promise of Christ, of which they were ignorant could not benefit them.
The former life has been replaced with a new thing, “…13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” This new initiation further granted believers access to other benefits they were alienated from.
Through His blood we are forgiven and redeemed (bought), (Rom 3:24, Lev 17:11); Through His blood, we are washed (Heb 9:22); Through His blood, we have peace with God (Col 1:20); Through His blood, we enter into the holy place (Heb 10:19, Heb 13:20); Through His blood, we are covered from our shameful nakedness (Gen 3:21); Through His blood, we have passed from death to life (Exo 12:13), Through His blood, we are made overcomers (Rev 12:11).