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The Incomprehensible Grace and Power of God by Pastor Charlie Handren

By Anonymous
     A few weeks ago, I wrote two devotionals on Ephesians 2:1-5 in which I tried to help us see how the gloriously good news of the gospel grows out of the ashes of the horrifically tragic news of human rebellion against God. While our sin has caused us to be spiritually dead, incapable of overcoming the world, enslaved by the devil, and subject to the wrath of God, neither our sin nor the world nor the devil nor the wrath of God have the final word over the lives of those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. As Paul writes, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Eph 2:4-5).
     It is enough that God saved us by his mercy and caused us to come to life again by his eternal grace, but Paul goes on to add that God also “raised us up with him [Jesus] 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” (Eph 2:6-7). Contemplate Paul’s words and pray for the Spirit of revelation and wisdom so that you’ll understand what God has done for us in Christ!
     First, God has caused all who believe in Jesus to be resurrected with Jesus. As I shared on Easter Sunday, this has both past- and future-tense implications. In a sense, we have already been raised with Christ in that we have come to life, and then, on this foundation, if we die before Jesus returns, we will be physically raised with him unto eternal life. It is stunning enough that Jesus was raised for us, but it is stunning beyond words that by his grace we are raised with him both now and forevermore.
     Second, God has caused all who believe in Jesus to be seated with Jesus in the heavenly places, that is, on the very throne of God. This does not mean that we become God by faith in him, but it does mean that we are so profoundly united with him by faith that we are wherever he is. We share in all that belongs to him. We live with him, are raised with him, and we reign with him by the incomprehensible grace and power of God.
     Finally, God has caused all who believe in Jesus to bring eternal glory to Jesus as the objects of his grace. Ultimately, his grace toward us is about him and not us, and it is simply stunning to think that while we were once objects of his wrath, we became instruments by which he exalts his own great name in heaven and on earth.
     O Beloved, I beg of you—take the time to meditate on Paul’s words and understand what God has done for us in Christ, and then get on your knees and praise his great and gracious name!

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