Ephesians: His Glorious RichesSample

Having plumbed the depths of our sin (vv. 1–3), Paul now lifts us up to the heights by reminding us of our position in Christ. God broke into our lives and transformed our situation by doing three things for us:

He ‘made us alive’ (v. 5). He gave us the gift of spiritual life – a newness of life imparted by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God (John 3:5–8; Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23). He did this while we were dead in sin. We could not co-operate with Him – it was at His initiative alone. 

He ‘saved’ us (v. 5). We were saved from the wrath of God (v. 3) by the blood of Jesus (2:13). Salvation involves forgiveness, but is so much more; we have been brought into every spiritual blessing (1:3). If you have been keeping a list of spiritual blessings, look at it and thank God for His generosity.

He ‘raised us up’ and we are now seated with Christ (v. 6). This is a place of victory – God has set us free and given us victory over our spiritual enemies. It is a place of destiny – we will reign with Christ forever (Rev. 22:5). It is a place of security – we are eternally safe. 

Why did God do this? Paul’s answer is clear – He did so because of His grace (vv. 8–9). We are saved by grace alone – from beginning to end (vv. 4–5, 7). We are saved by faith alone – faith is not a ‘work’ that earns salvation, but a trust in the work of another and the receiving of a free gift. We are saved by Christ alone – all these blessings come to us through Christ, who is named five times here (vv. 5, 6–7, 10). God blessed His Son; as we trust Christ, we are joined to Him and share these blessings. Through future ages we will demonstrate God’s amazing grace (v. 7; 1:6, 12, 14). 

As Paul concludes this section, he reminds us that God is now transforming us. We are saved by God and for God. In a sense we are His poem or a walking work of art. This is seen in our ‘good works’ (v. 10), where we used to follow the ways of the world (v. 2). Paul will spell this out in the second half of Ephesians (‘live a life worthy of the calling you have received’, 4:1).

Reflection

The only thing that we bring to our salvation is the sin from which we are saved; grace is central to the Bible’s message (Ex. 34:6–7; Rom. 3:20–24; Tit. 2:11–14). Turn your reflections on this passage into praise and worship.