Ephesians 2:1-13
Saturday, 2 October 2021
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us…” Ephesians 2:4
GOD is rich in mercy and love! In fact, mercy and love work hand in glove in their expression of Grace, from the One who gives it to us, who least deserve it! Someone has defined GRACE, thus: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense!! Yes it’s Christ who brought to us God’s rich grace!
From the key verse proceeds the expression of such rich grace that God has given us when
He:
Made us alive TOGETHER with Christ (V.5)
By grace we have been saved! We would have died in our sins without any hope had not God sent us His Son to take our sin and its punishment of death on Himself, so we would be free to have a right relationship with our Creator. 2 Corinthians 5:21 [NLT] says, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” We who believe and receive Him have everlasting life in Him (John 3:16). Because He has made us alive in Him, physical death is not the end of it all- we will be alive in Him for all eternity!
Raised us up TOGETHER Christ (V.6)
Jesus’ resurrection validated all that He spoke! 1 Corinthians 15:17 says, “And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” Since Christ is risen, we too are raised with Him when by faith we receive His life in us. This is what we celebrate when we are baptized: “…buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” (Col.2:12) Those who die in Christ will be raised one day to reign with Him eternally.
Made us sit TOGETHER in the heavenly places in Christ(V.6)
Those in Christ though may be dwelling right now on earth, we are positionally seated with Him in the heavenlies. Eph.1:20& 21 speaks of where Christ is seated: “…when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion…” And God put all things under His feet (Eph.1:22). And we who are in Christ have the victory over sin and the powers of darkness because we are seated with Him and they are subject to Him!
Brethren, understanding the privileges, we have in Christ Jesus, are we responsibly living in them? Or are we taking His grace for granted and trying to run our lives our way? Or else, forgetting our position with Him, are we living defeated lives? Understand your privileges in Christ and live in Him victoriously. We are alive in Him, raised up and seated with Christ Jesus!
On the other hand, to those who haven’t tasted the riches of God’s love and mercy, would you give your life to Him? Jesus paid in FULL all the requirements needed for us to be made right with God. Rom.3:24[NLT] says, “Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” You too can be part of the privileged club if you willingly accept this gift of God freely given to those who will take His Son!
Thought for the Day: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” – Ephesians 2:8&9
Listen: 'You alone rescue'