Never too far from God's Grace

This excerpt written by Melissa Kruger is taken from Ephesians: A Study of Faith and Practice.

If you ever wonder if you’re too far gone for grace, let me encourage you with these verses from Ephesians.  

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight. Ephesians 1: 7-8 (ESV)

I love that word, lavished; it brings to mind the idea of abundance. I picture arms overflowing with presents or a table overflowing with good things to eat. God has storehouses of grace—He’s not going to run out. This is such good news.

You were created for one purpose and one purpose only—to glorify God forever. Everything about you, from your personality to your gifts and interests (to whether you have curly or straight hair), was designed intentionally by God to reflect His glory to the world. In another of his New Testament letters, Paul wrote, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31, ESV). And the Westminster Shorter Catechism sums it up this way: “Q: What is the chief end of man? A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” You are sealed in Christ through the Spirit to praise the name of your heavenly Father forever. If you ever wonder, Who am I and why am I here? Ephesians 1 tells you clearly: You’re a saint created by God to live to the praise of God’s glory!  

Paul closes his one long sentence with a reminder of the Holy Spirit’s seal on your life. Typically, a seal is offered as a guarantee or confirmation. To apply for a driver’s license, I’m not allowed to just use a copy of a birth certificate, I have to have one that has an embossed seal to authenticate the truthfulness of the certificate. In medieval times, a king would press his ring into wax to create an official seal for his decree before it was sent out. Seals serve as a confirmation or proof that something is true. 

In this opening benediction, Paul is gazing on salvation as if he’s beholding a masterpiece. He’s looking at it from every angle—stepping back and seeing the entire view, and at the same time zooming in and noticing every important brush stroke. He’s helping us begin to comprehend the incomprehensible work of Christ on our behalf, the good news of the gospel that we first “heard” and then “believed.” 

Paul reminds us of the past, present, and future aspects of our salvation. He shows us the blessings of the triune God on our behalf: how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in perfect unity to secure our adoption. He reminds us that our redemption has been fully purchased by Christ’s blood and that forgiveness is freely granted according to the riches of His grace.  

These truths are foundational for everything Paul’s going to talk about in the rest of Ephesians. Paul’s letter is a study of faith (what we believe) and practice (how we live out what we believe). Both faith and practice matter, but the order matters too. First, he wants us to understand what God has done on our behalf. Then, he’s going to explain how we live in light of that understanding.  

The Westminster Divines, “The Westminster Shorter Catechism,” Ligonier Ministries, accessed 2.6.24, https://www.ligonier.org/ learn/articles/westminster-shorter-catechism.