Sometimes I think we walk through life with peripheral vision, focusing on the temporary—what's outside and around us, forgetting that what's within is eternal.
Paul, knowing that even faith comes from God, prays that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened in order that we may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and the incredible greatness of God's power for those who are in Christ. God brings salvation to us, and once we receive His gift, He seals it with Himself. So many completely miss this. Even those of us who have given our heart to Him sometimes lack the ability to grasp the depth of His grace, and hold onto hope, especially in a world lost in chaos.
See my last post, Peripheral Vision, on Ephesians 1:15-23
The book of Ephesians reiterates over and over again that we, who believe, are in Christ—and being in Him is so much more than simply believing in who He is, it's actually following in His footsteps. Although we fall short, a lot, His righteousness covers us and His love spurs us on.
Having said that, you'll notice that Paul never mentions "doing" anything, at least not in the first half of his letter. God put on Paul's heart how important it is that we truly know God and our position in Him.
I remember trying to grasp what it means to be in Christ. I still can't fully wrap my mind around it. I guess the only way to truly understand who we are in Him, we first have to realize who we were without Him. Paul begins chapter two with this—you were dead. Dead?
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 2:1-2 NIV)
Now obviously Paul didn't mean 'dead' dead, but spiritually dead. To be physically dead is to be separated from the body; to be spiritually dead is to be separated from God. Every lie, act of greed, selfish action, etc., Paul is saying that these things separated you from God. But in order to be raised from the dead, you must first be dead; and dead people, well, they don't have the ability to make themselves alive, especially when they don't even know they're dead. Paul is making the point that dead people can't make themselves righteous, nor can they save themselves, only God can raise the dead.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Ephesians 2:3 NIV)
Okay, let's go back to the beginning, Adam (and Eve) thought they knew better than God. They were convinced that they could become like God, thereby doing away with their need for Him. Sound familiar? Every human being begins his life by following in Adam's footsteps.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. His sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. (Romans 5:12 NLT).
At some point each of us will face a fork in the road and we will have to make a choice. This is where the footstep following becomes evident, exposing wants and desires that have nothing to do with God and everything to do with self. When the focus is self, desires mount. The more desires met, the bigger the appetite—more becomes bigger, bigger becomes better, better becomes exhausting.
God affords everyone choice just as He did Adam. Unfortunately, we minimize the choice, but the choice is extreme. It’s a choice between life and death.
The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17 NLT)
Adam brought death, Jesus brings life. Seems like a no brainer, but seriously, many choose Adam. The deception is the same, believing that man can become his own god.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV)
God loves us. He saved us. He made us alive and placed us in Christ when we were dead, right in the middle of sinning against Him; providing the way to Him. He secured us by His great might and amazing grace. That is grace that we do not deserve.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, (Ephesians 2:6 NIV)
God raised us up all the way to heaven and seated with Jesus. We are simultaneously here and there at the same time. WOW, I mean really stop for a moment and ponder that thought. How could it be? Well, as I said before it's difficult to wrap our finite minds around such things as these. However, we know that we are in Christ and He sits outside of time, so when God raised Him, our true life and identity was in Him. While we may walk in this world, heaven is our true home.
"When we understand our position, we will understand the power that's made available to us. Everything that belongs to Jesus belongs to us." ~Tony Evans
Is there anything on earth—possession, power, success, person—worth seeking that compares to being seated with Jesus at God's right hand; while at the same time possessing the power that raised Him from the dead? When you really think about it, isn't it silly to spend time chasing things that hold no value, especially when the God who created everything calls you His?
in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7 NIV)
God did all this for us, but it goes much deeper than that; he had a plan. Out of all the beauty God created in the universe, He chose His prized creation, His bride, you and me, to display His grace and kindness for all to see, now and forever.
I want to end today with the next few verses that I believe describe the pinnacle of the Gospel message, and we will pick up right here next time. In the meantime, rest in the truth that there is nothing you can do, or not do, that will ever change the love that God has for those who are in Christ Jesus.
God saved you by grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.(Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)
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