The Glory of His Grace

To the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6)

A few days ago we looked at the word ‘grace’ (verse 2). Here it is again. God’s undeserved favour towards us. ‘Grace’ is a favourite Pauline term, occurring twelve times in Ephesians. 

A literal translation here would be ‘to the praise of the glory of his grace’. This Hebraism does not make much sense in English, as it is all of his grace that we praise, not just the glory of it. Yet the glory of it is praiseworthy. 

Because of biblical stories about the glory of God being demonstrated visibly in places like the tabernacle and the temple and holy mountains, we tend to think of it in those terms. But the word has wider connotations. In this context, it basically means ‘splendour’ or ‘beauty’ or magnificence’ or ‘grandeur’. All these terms and others are true of God’s grace. It has an intrinsic glory. And it I 

Note that this grace is ‘in the Beloved’. It is universally agreed that this is a reference to Jesus, God’s beloved Son (Matthew 3:17). And we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that we by his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

I sometimes wince when I hear people asking God to reveal his glory. He has already done so: the Bible states clearly that we have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:6). 

Usually, people see religion as a system by which we are rewarded for our efforts to achieve moral excellence. Or to put it simply, to be saved by works. One of the saddest things I have ever witnessed was an old woman outside a temple in Asia with hands and knees padded, crawling on a journey that would take her many months in the hope of gaining credit with her god. But grace means that we are not saved by what we have done; we are saved by what Christ has done. It is undeserved, unmerited, unwarranted—but it is there. Amazing grace! 

Translations vary for the middle part of this text because of the unusual expression the apostle uses. What he says literally is ‘the grace with which he has graced us.’ In other words, the act of bestowing grace upon us is itself an act of grace. Got that? 

I don’t know about you, but the is the most wonderful thing I know about God is that he is a God of grace, a magnificent, glorious grace. 

So what?

1. Think about your own life. Name three specific outcomes of God’s grace in your life for which you are most grateful.

2. Memorise Ephesians 1:6