So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus – Ephesians 2:7
If we look intently at Ephesians 2:7, we would see that there is a definite purpose for all that God did and is doing through out the generations. According to Philippians 2:6-9, even though Jesus is God, yet He decided to take the likeness of men and the form of a servant. He lived as a carpenter instead of the son of an earthly king. He was born in a manger instead of a Royal hospital. All of this He did for us, not only to be an offering for sin, but also that God might show in the ages to come the exceeding and surpassing riches of His grace.
The Voice translation of Ephesians 2:7 puts it beautifully – ‘He did this for a reason: so that for all eternity we will stand as a living testimony to the incredible riches of His grace and kindness that He freely gives to us by uniting us with Jesus the Anointed’ .
Isaiah 53 has often been described as the Gospel according to Isaiah because it foreshadows the writings of the New Testament Gospels but most importantly it contains one of the clearest views of the person and work of Christ in all the Scripture. Isaiah 53:10-11 (LB) says ‘But it was the Lord’s good plan to bruise him and fill him with grief. However, when his soul has been made an offering for sin, then he shall have a multitude of children, many heirs. He shall live again, and God’s program shall prosper in his hands. And when he sees all that is accomplished by the anguish of his soul, he shall be satisfied; and because of what he has experienced, my righteous Servant shall make many to be counted righteous before God, for he shall bear all their sins’. Notice the words ‘God’s program shall prosper in his hands’ and what is that program? I dare say that God desires that in all eternity, He can present His Children (the church) as a specimen of what His grace has accomplished. And I can imagine all of heaven nodding their heads in agreement and saying – so this is what it was all about. What glory the Father will have.
The Meaning of Grace
I do not think that any Christian is a stranger to the common definition of grace – God’s unmerited favour. I completely agree with this definition but I believe that grace is much more than God’s favour. Before Paul introduced us to the work of grace in Ephesians 2:7, in verses 2 and 3, he wrote about the state of every man before grace intervened. We were dead in sins and trespasses. Before Christ found me, I was a dead man even though I walked on the streets, lived in a house, had a family, went to school, went to church and even sang in the choir. Ephesians 2:1-3 (The Voice) ‘As for you, don’t you remember how you used to just exist? Corpses, dead in life, buried by transgressions, wandering the course of this perverse world. You were the offspring of the prince of the power of the air—oh, how he owned you, just as he still controls those living in disobedience. I’m not talking about the outsiders alone; we were all guilty of falling headlong for the persuasive passions of this world; we all have had our fill of indulging the flesh and mind, obeying impulses to follow perverse thoughts motivated by dark powers. As a result, our natural inclinations led us to be children of wrath, just like the rest of humankind’. But when grace came, I was made alive. Not only are we forgiven and cleansed of all our sins, grace has all the resources to keep us spotless and blameless, the sons of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation enabling us to shine as lights in the world. According to Leonard Ravenhill (The author of Why Revival Tarries), “The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world and make him holy, then put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it.” This is the work of grace and I think it is encapsulated in Titus 2:11-12 (Amp) – For the grace of God (His unmerited favour and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind. It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world. In John 8:11, Jesus told the woman that was caught in adultery ‘Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more’. Grace is not a licence to continue in sin, in fact anyone who ever met grace will hear the same words – go and sin no more. Can a Christian fall into sin? yes he can and that is the reason grace is a teacher and a trainer and every teacher expects that the students will put to practice the things they learn. Grace teaches us to say ‘No’ to unrighteousness and expects us to practise it. There may be times when we slip and grace helps to bind us up and put us back on the path of righteousness. However, anyone looking for encouragement to continue in his sins may come across Proverbs 24:16 ‘The righteous man falls seven times and rises up again’. But before we use that passage as comfort to continue falling into sin, there are two things to bear in mind. The first is that this scripture refers to righteousness based on the law and not on grace so the expectations are different. Secondly, whenever a man falls down, there may be some consequence for the fall. A man who continues to fall may one day discover he can no longer walk and work because all his bones are broken. It is true that some fall may lead to no injuries but others may lead to a painful trip to an orthopaedic hospital. There are some that have been in such hospitals for months and years; useless to themselves, their families and their communities and sadly their maker. Sin is a terrible task master, It is often said that “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay.” Jesus said to the Church at Ephesus – Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent (Revelation 2:5, Amp). Needless to say that this wise counsel seemed to have been ignored or taken casually and the consequence is there for all to see.
The Exhibition of Grace
On that glorious day when God decides to exhibit the riches of His grace; are we expecting to see a limping believer with bruises and broken bones occasioned by a life of defeat and the Lord would say to all gathered, ‘this is the riches of my grace, for even though this man had often fallen into sin, my grace had always ensured he is forgiven and washed’. Is this what the Father will say? I don’t think so. In Revelation 19:7-9, the angel of the Lord showed John a preview of that day and it says – “ Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honour, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white—for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God’s holy people).
To commemorate the first anniversary of his conversion to Christ, Charles Wesley, the younger brother of Methodist Founder John Wesley wrote the hymn:
Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise
The glories of my God and King
The triumphs of His grace
On that glorious day, a thousand tongues will sing of the triumphs of His grace but while we remain in this earthly tabernacle grace must continue to triumph . When we are confronted with a choice between righteousness and sin and we choose to do right, grace triumphs. When a man is tempted by pride but he chooses to be humble, grace triumphs. When a man is tempted by the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy but he chooses to be sincere, grace triumphs. According to Zephaniah, The Lord rejoices over us with singing. When does He rejoice? Is it not when as a mighty saviour He makes us walk in Victory for Zephaniah 3:17 says “ For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty Saviour. He will give you victory. He will rejoice over you with great gladness; he will love you and not accuse you. Is that a joyous choir I hear? No, it is the Lord himself exulting over you in happy song”
A life of victory is the only true demonstration of the abundant riches of grace. I want to stand for all eternity as a living testimony to the incredible riches of God’s grace and kindness that He freely gave to me in Christ Jesus.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen