God’s Incomprehensible Love Goes Deep
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4–7 NIV Read More
Rich.
Rich?
Because of God’s great love for us, God, who is RICH in mercy…
Have you ever known or been around someone that was rich? I’ve been honored to be around a few people in my life that were ridiculously rich and kind. A few of them even used the phrase “money is no object” in a conversation that also ended with “this should be everything you need for ______.” It’s a stunning thing to experience and a solemn moment to receive something like that.
Because of God’s great love for us, God, who is RICH in mercy…
Paul just talked about how wretched and un-alive we were when we walked in a lifestyle of rebellion against God and independent rejection of God. In that hopeless state, God saved us because He loves us.
Not to go on mission, though that will happen.
Not to be a trophy of His mercy, though we are that too.
Not so that there are more people in heaven to worship God for eternity, though we’ll be there.
God saved us because of His great love for us. In that state of loving us, God says “My covenant-deep, welcoming, and hospitable mercy is no object. I must raise him/her from their dead life and adopt them as my child.” God knew what we needed more than anything else to be loved by Him, and that was mercy and forgiveness of our sins. In taking that away, He has removed any barrier we could ever have between us and Him.
With that love, that kindness, He took us into Himself to be united in the deepest way. His spirit lives in us to guide us and to help us and guess what: to love us.
It is with that love that God seated us (note the past tense) in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. Since God already knows our destiny (not saying He already decided it or that we have no choice, just saying He already knows the end) all that are in Christ are already seated in the heavenly realms in Christ. As far as God’s perspective goes, everything that will ever happen in time has already happened and is done, sort of, so Paul can say that we are already seated in heaven in Christ.
Suddenly the three things that we need and long for the most are in such great measure that we are overcome. Time, love, and mercy from God are all limitless to Him and from Him, we receive an infinite supply. All because of His great love for us that is unspoiled by our wretchedness.
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