Sunday,
September 16, 2018 – Ephesians 6:24
Grace Orientation as Noted in the Book of Ephesians,
Pt. 1.
Grace
Fellowship Church
Pastor/Teacher, Jim Rickard
5. The Encouragement, vs. 21-24.
Eph
6:24, “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with
incorruptible love.”
As we have been noting, “GRACE” is
a key word of the epistle. It opened the epistle, Eph 1:2, and is the subject of the epistle, Eph 2:7-8. It now concludes the epistle. It is a fitting word
because it is God’s grace which saved us and which sustains us today.
“Grace,” CHARIS, χάρις means, “grace, graciousness, kindness,
goodwill; a gift, a favor, etc.” Grace is God’s gratuitous generosity to an
undeserving sinful humanity. Grace is all that God is free to do for mankind without
compromising His Divine essence. Grace means favor, kindness, and mercy. Grace
is undeserved blessing and suffering from God to mankind. Grace is free and
unmerited love and favor toward us. Grace is unmerited Divine provision for
mankind before, during, and after salvation. Therefore, grace depends on who
and what God is.
As we noted in vs. 23, all grace and blessings come to
the saints from God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Grace, the favor of God and
all good, both spiritual and temporal, is from God to the believer, especially
those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity as noted in this verse.
As we have done with the previous
three pillar words in vs. 23,
(faith, peace, and love), we will now do a survey of the Book of Ephesians on
the utilization and application of this fourth pillar of the foundation of the
Christian way of life, “grace.” The word
“grace” is used 12 times in the book of Ephesians. Twelve is the number of
perfect Divine government and organization. To just name a few examples in
Scripture, there were 12 sons of Jacob, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of
our Lord. In the heavenly New Jerusalem there are 12 foundations, 12 gates, 12
pearls, and 12 angels. In addition, Solomon’s Temple is stamped with the number
12, as the Moses’ Tabernacle was stamped with the number 5, which is the number
of grace. So, here in the book of Ephesians we see “grace” being stamped with
the number 12 of perfect Divine government or rule.
As such, if we want to live under God’s
perfect rule and organization for our lives, we must live by His grace. When we
live by His grace, we have perfect Divine rule and organization within our
souls and for our physical and spiritual lives. So, let us look at each of the
12 applications in Ephesians to see the context of God’s grace plan for our
lives.
1. Eph 1:2, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.”
In Paul’s opening salutation, as
in his closing, his payer and desire is that the grace of God be in the lives
of every believer. He indicates, as also in the closing, that grace is “from
God the Father and Lord Jesus Christ.” Therefore, God is the author and
provider of all grace in our lives.
Paul is reminding us that we are
receiving something that is completely undeserved or unmerited from God. It is
Divine favor being bestowed on us. Therefore, this letter, as is every word in
the Bible, is the grace gift of God bestowed on us that we do not earn or
deserve, so that we can live the unique spiritual life God has designed for us.
As such, the Word of God is freely given to us by God’s grace so that we may
execute under perfect Divine rule and order the Christian way of life.
2. Eph 1:6, “To the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely
bestowed on us in the Beloved.”
As part of a great doxology, vs 3-14, the context of this verse is
back in vs. 5, where the believer in
the Lord Jesus Christ is “predestined to
adoption” into the family of God, “according
to the kind intention of His will.” God’s grace predestined us from
eternity past to be entered into His Royal Family through Jesus Christ. This is
the result of our redemption through Christ’s sacrifice upon the Cross, vs. 7. Therefore, from the grace of God,
we were predestined to adoption into the Royal Family of God.
Since this was done in eternity
past, there can be no human works involved to earn it or deserve it. Our
predestination is totally by the Grace of God.
In this passage, we also have the
word “bestowed,” which is the Verb CHARITOO, χαριτόω that means, “to
give grace or bestow favor.” It is only used here for “bestowed” and in Luke 1:28, for “favored one.” In our
passage, “bestowed” could be translated “gave grace.” Therefore, we could
translate it as, Eph 1:6, “To the praise
of the glory of His grace, which grace
He freely gave to us in the
Beloved.”
Because of our union with the Lord
Jesus Christ in time, God’s grace is given to us in time. Therefore, salvation
and all its benefits, including our adoption as adult sons into the Royal
Family of God that was predestined from eternity past, are the result of God’s
glorious grace, His unmerited favor, coming into our lives. As such, this verse
exhorts us to “praise of the glory of
His grace which He gave to us.” That is, praise the magnificence, splendor,
grandeur, brilliance, and exaltation of His grace that has been given to us.
3. Eph 1:7, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8which He
lavished on us.”
Continuing the doxology, vs. 7 praises God the Father’s grace of
redemption as being “the riches of His
grace.” “Riches” is the Noun PLOUTOS that means, “wealth, riches,
abundance, etc.” This is not just material wealth, but also includes wisdom or
insight, i.e., His Word. In addition, the image of wealth captures the abundant
generosity of God in Christ.
In Ephesians we see that the
“riches” of God is used 5 times, the number of “grace.” The first three
“riches” speak to God’s grace regarding our eternal blessings associated with
our conversion. The last two are the grace of God in our lives while here on
earth for our spiritual walk post-conversion. They include:
a. In our passage, grace is lavished on us in “the riches of His grace,” because He has redeemed our souls based
on our sins being paid for by Jesus Christ on the Cross. Lavished is the Verb
PERISSEUO, περισσεύω that means, “to be more than enough, to have an abundance
of, to be superior, and to excel in.”
b. In Eph 1:18, “The riches of
His glory” tells us of His grace in giving us an eternal inheritance.
c. In Eph 2:7, “The surpassing
riches of His grace,” is received by seating us with Christ.
d. In Eph 3:8, “The unfathomable
riches of Christ,” is the grace giving / teaching of His Word.
e. In Eph 3:16, “The riches of
His glory,” is His grace given to us in the power of the Holy Spirit that
strengthens our souls.
In our passage, “the riches of His grace,” speaks of the
“abundance” of God in paying for our sins through the Cross of Jesus Christ. As
such, all of our sins are paid for and all of the sins of the entire world are
paid for, with even more grace in reserve. That is the abundance of His grace;
the riches of His grace!
In addition, combining vs. 6-7, we see the one and only way of
salvation that is given to us by the grace of God. That grace is through the person and work of
Jesus Christ, the Beloved, in whom we have redemption and forgiveness because
of the giving of Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. God the Father and Jesus
Christ have lavished grace upon us. We are the recipients of their extravagant
goodness and kindness. Paul is trying very hard to describe God’s grace towards
us, but we do not have words to describe God’s amazing grace. Words fail in
attempting to describe the inexhaustible resources of God’s giving, cf. 2 Cor 9:8; Rom 5:15, 20. Yet, though
words fail, we are to try our best to praise God because He has lavished His
grace upon us.
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