Exceeding Riches of Grace and Glory
Dearly beloved, all of the exceeding riches we have from God were freely given to us by His Divine Favor; by His grace. Since God reveals His will to us by His Word, let’s consider what He says.
"In whom [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" Ephesians 1:7
Our redemption and forgiveness of sins is ours exclusively by “the riches of his grace”. God freely gave it to us in Christ.
"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)" Ephesians 2:5Even when we were dead in sin, ungodly, enemies of God, without God, and having no hope, He made us alive together with Christ and saved us by His grace. Why?
"That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto [epi: upon] good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:7- 10
Our Father did it according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord and it will take Him the entire period to demonstrate “the exceeding riches of His grace” to us in Christ.
What will be His attitude towards us when He does this? He will demonstrate these riches to us in His loving kindness. Beloved, He has only just begun to bless us with these exceeding riches.
Everything in the first three chapters of Ephesians reveals what God did in Christ; not what we do to gain these riches. Beloved, we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus on the basis of Christ Jesus’ good works, which God previously prepared that we should walk in them, in his accomplishments.
Our Father did all of this in Christ and by his work alone, then He freely gave us all of it with Christ. What do we have from God that we did not receive by His grace? Nothing!
“The exceeding riches of His grace” will end in “the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”. We will not be disappointed in our expectation of hope in Christ!
Beloved, our Father will perform every last jot and tittle of the exceeding riches of His grace to us, from birth to our hope of glory. He sent Christ the first time and we can be certain that He will send Him back for us to fulfill all of His will concerning us. He is coming dearly beloved; He is coming! It could be today….