Amazing GraceНамуна

The Riches of His Grace 

God 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 (Ephesians 2:6-7, ESV).

Recently, I watched a well-known Christian preacher on television. The message was practical, helpful and wise, but it could have been given by a member of any of the great monotheistic religions. Jesus was not mentioned even once. And without the amazing grace of Jesus, all the good advice in the world is ultimately ineffective. 

First, his grace is immeasurable. The Greek word means abundant, abounding, going beyond the norm. It is like a huge vessel overflowing with sweet nectar where the overflow is constant. It never runs out. 

Second, it is like a treasure trove where we can help ourselves to jewels of every possible kind, all just for the taking. In this case, the riches are spiritual—forgiveness, freedom from sin, joy, peace, contentment, power for living. And they are all ours! 

Third, grace is so vast it will take eternity to gauge, for like eternity, it is immeasurable. God’s grace is not for this life alone but for eternal life (John 3:16). 

The phrase ‘coming ages’ represents another way of describing eternity. It is age after age after age, with no ending in sight. And during all those endless ages, God will continue to express his kindness in Christ Jesus. In Greek the word ‘kind’ is Chrestos, almost identical to Christos (‘anointed’) from which we derive the name ‘Christ’. Jesus is both the Anointed One and the Kind One. And his kindness will never end. 

The tense of the original verb ‘show’ is not future: it indicates ongoing present experience. The joy and intense reality of the present will banish the idea of future altogether. Now we live in hope because we are still trapped in imperfect human frames. But when that Day arrives when imperfection vanishes and everything is perfect (1 Cor 13:10) what reason will there be to continue to hope? How can the perfect be any better? How can it improve? We will live in an eternal ‘now’ in the glory of the presence of God! The joy of the moment will be everlasting.

What next?

1. Think of a time when your heart was filled with pure joy and love. Now pause a while and try to imagine that feeling never ending. 

2. What do you think is meant by the word ‘kindness’? Try to define it.