All Things United in Him

Ephesians 1:9-10 is a little more difficult for me to understand. After Paul tells us in verses 3-8 that we were saved, before the foundation of the world, from our trespasses and sins, and redeemed by the blood of Christ, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, Paul then tells us the mystery of God's will is made known to us, according to His (God's) purpose. The Mystery of God's will?

At first, I was concerned by this. I felt left out of a big secret. Then, I read verse 10 again. It's "a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth." I suddenly realized God calls whom he wills because He will be glorified completely when all things are united in Him. The Angels in heaven will be united with his creation on earth. We will worship Him together for eternity. The mystery is only "a mystery" to the non-believer. Because I've been called to salvation, I have the understanding that all things are to the glory of God, and His plan to unite all things in Him is easy to believe and understand thanks to that calling.

I can't help but think about those who He did not call to salvation. They will glorify Him too. They will understand God's wrath and worship Him through their eternal suffering. All of God's character will be worshiped. The plan of God, set forth in Christ, is to cause all things to glorify Him. Those of us who are saved from sin by Christ, glorify God through an understanding of the riches of His grace. Those who reject God, and reject the plan of salvation through Christ, will glorify God through an understanding of the power of His wrath and the penalty for sin.

Personally, I am so glad I've been chosen by God. I want to be united in heaven with the angels in eternal worship of God.

Praise God for His Grace.

Redemption Through His Blood

Ephesians 1:7-8 are a huge and impacting set of verses for me right now. Having just lost my job, and in a huge way because God decided He'd be more glorified without me in the jail, I feel so wretched and sinful. I feel unworthy, undeserving of His grace or to even be called an adopted son of God.

But, redemption through the blood of Christ, forgiveness for my trespasses, are mine through the riches of His grace. Even a sinful, disgusting failure like me, has forgiveness which comes from the Almighty God. How awesome! And this grace is "lavished" upon us. Lavish can also mean plentiful, generous, abundant, sumptuous, copious, bountiful, extravagant, heaped, smother with, and bestow upon. God’s grace is bountifully heaped on us. And again, it’s undeserved. It’s done by God through His wisdom and insight.

My God's grace is all consuming. Even these things we consider to be "bad", like being fired from a job, are really God's grace being shown in a different way than we would expect. Sometimes it's beyond our ability to understand. God is great. God is grace. I am nothing without His grace in my life.

Praise God for His Grace.

Predestined to Adoption

I've been reading Ephesians for a few weeks. I ended up writing a new song about God's grace and all things being for His glory. Lisa and I started going to a new church and the pastor is teaching through Ephesians.

This morning I read Eph 1:1-6 again. There is so much in that little section of this book. We were chosen before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless. Because God loved us, he predestined us to adoption. Adoption in biblical times, according to my pastor, meant the adopted was equal to any other family member. They were given the same access to all the benefits of the family. We are adopted as sons of the Almighty God. Where else and what other family has eternity in Heaven as one of the things offered? Peace, joy, comfort, rest, provisions. God adopted us into His family with all these benefits, and the biggest and best is salvation from sin.

We were called before God even created us or the world. And we were predestined to this salvation from our sin, just because God decided to do it. Ephesians 2 tells us it's not from our works or something we've done to earn or desire this salvation. We have nothing to boast about. It is all by God's choosing.

Wow!!! I'm so "lucky" that's the case. I can't seem to do much right at all on my own. I'm always mad at myself for something I've done wrong. I'm a disgusting sinner. It is only by God's grace I am saved from this sin.

Praise God for His Grace.