Ephesians 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which
He loved us, (5) Even when we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved)
...We were in a miserable situation, but God came in with His rich mercy to make us suitable for His love. God is rich in mercy “because of His great love with which He loved us”. The object of love should be in a condition deserving love, but the object of mercy is always in a pitiful situation.
Hence, God's mercy reaches further than His love. God loves us because we are the object of His selection. But we became pitiful by our fall, even dead in our offenses and sins; therefore, we need God's mercy.
Because of His great love, God is rich in mercy to save us from our wretched position to a condition which is suitable for His love. God's mercy reached us even when we were dead in offenses. We did not deserve anything from God, but God had mercy upon us in our miserable situation...
God made us alive by imparting His eternal life, which is Christ Himself (Col. 3:4), into our deadened spirit through His Spirit of life. He has enlivened us with Christ.
God enlivened us together when He enlivened the crucified Jesus. Therefore, He made us alive with Christ.