But God’s Great Love

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:4-10

In the lengthy and doxologically rich passage which begins in Ephesians 1:3, Paul summarizes the ends for which God in Christ has brought about our salvation. On three occasions he declares, “To the praise of His glory (glorious grace),” as the purpose behind election, adoption, redemption, and the guarantee of our inheritance.

As we move into Chapter 2, Paul seems to answer the question, “Why in the first place?” Following the greatest of transitional phrases found in Scripture, “But God,” Paul describes the Father’s prevenient posture toward His people. Why has He pursued and saved those who were dead in their trespasses and sin? According to Paul, it is “Because of the great love with which He has loved us.”

God certainly prioritizes the praise and glory of His name. Scripture is clear about this. For as John Piper has quipped, God knows that our worship and praise of Him is the best thing for us.¹

But, in this section of Ephesians 2, Paul is now emphasizing the Father’s love for His people and His desire to showcase “The immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” And just how does He do this?

In verses 4-7, Paul mentions three realities for the Christian that we likely find difficult to comprehend. For God has,

“Made us alive together with Christ”,

and

“Raised us up with Him (Christ)”,

and

“Seated us with Him (Christ) in the heavenly places.”

Notice that these declarations are in the past tense. Paul is not simply saying that we have much to look forward to on the Day of Resurrection. The blessings highlighted here are present truths that come by way of our being united to Christ even now.

If we look back a few verses into Ephesians 1:20, we will find here Paul’s description of the Father’s work in the Son in which He, “raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.” It seems as if Paul in Ephesians 2:4-7 is declaring to the reader that everything which is true of the risen and ascended Christ is now true of us.

If this is so, then we are indeed those who have been made alive spiritually in a new way. Our affections are now drawn toward godliness and lives of worship. If we have been raised up with Him, then we know that death and sin no longer have dominion over us. And, if we are now seated with Him, our assurance of eternal life and having been grafted into Christ is settled. It is certain.

If you have ever given a gift that included multiple items, you may have witnessed the recipient open the package, uncover a portion of what has been given, and offer a kind gesture of appreciation for the gift. Yet, the package has not been fully emptied. Other accompanying gifts remain a little deeper and undiscovered inside.

Likewise, all that God has offered us in the gospel and in our union with Jesus can sometimes remain a bit “undiscovered” without us giving full consideration to the vast blessings promised to the believer. Perhaps we have thought of salvation primarily as the avoidance of hell — or the relief that eternal life still awaits us.

In today’s passage, Paul assures us of so much more. For what has been promised is true for us today and into eternity. Let us meditate on these truths, recognizing that what we experience as a foretaste now will one day be gloriously consummated to our great delight and to the praise of His glory…all because of the great love with which He has loved us.

 

END NOTES:

1. John Piper, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (1986)