Ephesians 2:4 pivots to the next three verses. Ephesians 2:5-7 describe the glorious salvation state into which God mercifully and lovingly saves those who place their faith in Christ as their Savior.
Each of the three verses in Ephesians 2:5-7 is the opposite of the sinful state previously described in each of the three parallel verses in Ephesians 2:1-3. Again, Ephesians 2:4 is pivotal verse between these two sets of verses.
Made alive with Christ.
Raised and seated in the heavenlies in Christ.
Recreated as God's masterpiece in Christ.
Note how each of these truths about salvation is the result of our union with and in Christ (refer to the bolded words above)! We were united in Christ in His crucifixion which is how our old spiritual man or woman was put to death. That old sinful man or woman was buried united to Christ.
BUT GOD who is rich in mercy, because of His great love for us then recreated (re-birthed) us as a new spiritual man or woman united with the resurrected Christ! We are now and forever intimately related to Jesus Christ.
CLOSING
We cannot grow in realizing with much wonder and praise to God the height of our salvation in Christ apart from realizing the profound awful depth in sin from which God rescued us from in Christ. May we pray for God to continue to open our spiritual eyes to these realities.
People must ultimately realize that in their sinful state they are so much more worse off than being just a little morally deficient. People must realize they are spiritually dead, a follower of Satan, and bound to receive God's wrath.
Christianity is not about becoming better, more moral. people. Christianity is about become alive from the dead, free from Satan, and raised a trophy of God's grace!
It is only when people admit their sinful state that they can hear the most wonderful two words of salvation:
BUT GOD!
Below is a a summary of these truths froma the three sets of parallel verses in Ephesians 2:1-7.
The Gospel in Two Words 
