It is profitable to trace the blessings of grace in Ephesians – the epistle of grace where this characteristic keyword is used 13 times. Paul, the apostle of grace, reminds us that through grace we have –
Blessings-
“…to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” Eph 1:6
Forgiveness-
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, …” Eph 1:7
Salvation-
“…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, …” Eph 2:5-8
God’s demonstrated kindness-
“…so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Eph 2:7
God’s workmanship–
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Eph 2:10
Avenue of service-
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Eph 4:29
Love incorruptible-
“Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.” Eph 6:24
The recipients of grace were identified as:
- Those who formed the early church. Acts 4:33
- Paul, who testified that his power was due to the undeserved favour of God. Rom 15:15
- As a wise church planter, was dependant upon grace. 1 Cor 3:10
- He traced his abundant labours to grace. 1 Cor 15:10
- His ministry to Gentiles was all of grace Eph 3:8
- The whole of his life was a glowing tribute to grace. 1 Tim 1:13, 15
- He urged the apostolic churches to be demonstrations of grace. 2 Cor 9:8, Phil 1:7, Eph 4:7
Praise God for His gracious love towards us.
One Comment
Soli Deo Gloria
Grace! Dr Martin Lloyd Jones had this to say about the manifestation of the exceeding riches of His grace:
The angels that sang on the morning of creation sang again on the morning of His birth. Never had heaven seen such a throng as this….. and Peter tells us in 1 Peter ‘which things the angels desire to look into’ 1:12.
The ‘things’ are the ‘sufferings of Christ and the glory that shall follow’, the whole movement of the incarnation, the life, the atoning death, burial, the resurrection, the glorification – ‘which things’, says Peter, ‘the angels desire to look into’. He uses a very interesting word there. That word ‘desire’, means a very intense and a very strong desire. Indeed it includes a further idea which is that they stooped down in order to look into it…..it is a most astonishing thing. The angels are amazed, and they worship and praise God as they see this manifestation, this display, this showing of the exceeding riches of His grace…..IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
Reconciliation, Chapter 11, last para.