Wednesday: Now Blessed Forever by Grace
Compare God’s planning for salvation in Ephesians 1:3-4, with the eternal results of that plan described in Ephesians 2:7. What are essential elements and goals of God’s “plan of salvation”?
Graduation ceremonies are wonderful celebrations, whether for kindergarten or a Ph.D. A graduation marks an important accomplishment, the move to a different stage of life or career. It is important for us as believers to understand a profound truth of the gospel: we never graduate from grace. There is never a celebration that we have attained our Ph.D. in grace or graduated from our need of it.
Image © Sherry Boettcher at Goodsalt.com
Paul affirms this truth in Ephesians 2:7, accenting it with an expansive chronology. God has acted in the past in Christ to redeem us, so identifying us with His Son, Jesus Christ, that we are in the present co-participants in His resurrection, ascension, and exaltation (Ephesians 2:4-6). God’s plan, though, does not end with a grace-filled past and a mercy-bathed present. God’s plan, rooted in divine councils in time immemorial (Ephesians 1:4), stretches forever into the future. It includes all “the coming ages” (Ephesians 2:7, ESV). His plan for the eternal future is founded on the same principle as His actions in the past and present — the principle of grace. “In the coming ages,” God looks forward to demonstrating “the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7, ESV).
Paul thinks of God’s grace as a treasure or fortune of unfathomable value (compare Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 3:8) from which believers may draw to meet any need. This grand generosity of God toward us becomes an eloquent, ageless, and cosmic exhibit of His grace.
“By coming to dwell with us, Jesus was to reveal God both to men and to angels … . But not alone for His earthborn children was this revelation given. Our little world is the lesson book of the universe. God’s wonderful purpose of grace, the mystery of redeeming love, is the theme into which ‘angels desire to look,’ and it will be their study throughout endless ages. Both the redeemed and the unfallen beings will find in the cross of Christ their science and their song. It will be seen that the glory shining in the face of Jesus is the glory of self-sacrificing love.” — Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, Pages 19, 20.
(20)
Spoiler Alert: My illustration this morning is not for the health fanatics! I am going to talk about chocolate. I love chocolate. I would like to buy a box of Lindt chocolate and sit down and eat it all myself. I would savour a piece slowly and wait just long enough so that it doesn't interfere with the flavour of the next piece. That would be chocolate heaven. Or would it?
What usually happens in our house is that when we get a box of exquisite chocolates, Carmel and I look at all the flavours and then we select one each, and if there is only one piece of a particular flavour we will share it. And we make the box last as long as we can. There is a lot of enjoyment in sharing something we both like.
Grace is like chocolate. If you try to keep it to yourself it will make you sick. Like chocolate, the blessing of grace is when it is shared.
Jesus, in his instructions to the Disciples, before they went out on an evangelistic program, said, "... freely ye have received, freely give!"
Think about what grace really means when you are sitting in Sabbath School class this week talking about grace in theological terms. How are we going to put grace into action for the rest of the week?
Keep it or share it?
In Ephesians 1:3-4, Paul talks about God's predestined plan for salvation. He says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." This passage reveals that God's plan for salvation involves predestination, choosing us to be in Christ, and the ultimate goal is to become holy and blameless before Him.
Ephesians 2:7 gives us a glimpse of the eternal result of this plan, "so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." This signifies the eternal nature of God's salvation plan. Not only does He save us, but He continues to shower us with immeasurable riches of His grace in the ages to come.
Hence, the essential elements of God's "plan of salvation" involve His choosing us, placing us in Christ, and sanctifying us to be holy and blameless. The goal is our salvation from sin and death and our eternal enrichment with His grace and kindness. This reveals God's plan as ultimately about His unending love and grace towards humanity, demonstrating His character and bringing glory to Himself.
It is in Christ that we are:
∙ Chosen that we should be holy and blameless before God
∙ Blessed with every spiritual blessing
∙ Adopted as his children
∙ Redeemed as his own possession
∙ Forgiven of our sins
∙ Sealed with the Holy Spirit
∙ Created for good works
The question is, “What exactly does it mean to be in Christ?”
Grace! There is no better word to rely on. None is deserver, but to all is offered. How to explain such an extraordinary act of passion? Grace. We will never fully understand. It can change lives forever. May our reality be full of Jesus' Grace today.
GRACE= God’s Riches at Christs’ Expense. This is for each one of us, because He loves us and wants none to perish but ALL to have eternal life. Extend that grace to others. Walk the Jesus walk and talk the Jesus talk.
My understanding of the meaning of the word ‘Grace’ has improved tremendously through the study of Scripture. It is amazing to recognize that every nuance of new learning shapes God's 'Diamond of Truth' more precisely, enhancing its beautiful Light more perfectly.
Understanding our faith is equal in importance when compared to living our life by that faith; they go hand in hand as they strengthen each other. Is there anything more special we can experience than understanding more deeply the Grace we have received, resulting in leading us to live our lives more righteously, employinbg wisdom and loving kindness more perfectly?
The author of today’s lesson explained clearly that God’s Grace will be ever present in our existence – now and then; that our new lives would not be possible without it. This mere fact should evoke an immense sense of gratitude toward our heavenly Father, who called His Ekklesia to be the Body of Christ, His Son, clarifying the purpose of our new existence in and through Him.
Paul’s statement recorded in Eph.2:7 is so grand that one needs to pause and reflect on its heaven and earth moving impact on humanity. Ellen White states that: “It will be seen that the glory shining in the face of Jesus is the glory of self-sacrificing love.”
This is the 'formula', the wisdom which our heavenly Father employed through all ages and continues to employ into all eternity; as it was planed from the Beginning, including mankind through which He expresses His Love.