Philip Dampier's Blog

Chapter 1, Verses 6, 7 “…to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,”

So, there we were, all of us, guilty of trespasses. Every single human on this planet except for Jesus Christ is under the penalty of death because of sin. All mankind from Adam to those of us alive on earth today are guilty, in need of redemption for our trespasses but unable to pay the redemptive price. All of mankind, every generation, doomed to die not only a physical death but a spiritual one as well. Sentenced by sin to eternal separation from God.

Yet, from the start of sin, there was a thread of hope. A promise, though veiled, of redemption, of salvation, even the forgiveness of sin. Some of humanity clung to that hope, that promise; they had faith in the God who promised. For centuries mankind longed for the promised savior, the anointed one of God and at just the right moment God sent His son to accomplish the fulfillment of hope and faith. God so loved the world that He sent the richness of His grace.

Why and how God did that is revealed to us in these two verses. Glorious grace was made known. It was made known by the Beloved. It was a marvelous thing. That which we so desperately needed and were unable to provide ourselves came to us in the presence of living grace. God’s grace, His unmerited favor, came in the form of Jesus, the Beloved. In Him, the grace was freely given to those who believed.

Remember to whom this letter is addressed. It is directed to the faithful saints. These are those who not only have faith but keep the faith. These people of faith are blessed in Jesus. It is in Jesus that all the benefits of that grace are poured out. Notice that Paul gives us two important things that the grace of God in Jesus provides for us.

First, there is redemption through His blood. The blood of Jesus, like the grace, was for all men but all men do not receive it. They do not honor the promise nor do they have faith in Jesus as their savior. They are not the faithful saints. The faithful saints are redeemed in the blood of the Lamb of God. Lost souls are reclaimed in the blood. The payment for redeeming is the cost of the blood. The means to the grace that brings redemption is to believe and obey the Lord Jesus Christ.

Second, there is forgiveness of sins. Not some of our sins but all of them. In Jesus, the faithful saints are washed clean. All their sins are removed. Their old man of sin is destroyed in death, and a new man rises from the waters of baptism to walk in a renewed covenant with God. Their sins and evil thoughts are no longer remembered by God. As Paul says in Romans, there is no condemnation in Jesus. Why Paul? Because their sins are forgiven by the grace of God, expressed in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

No wonder Paul calls this grace the riches of God. So rich that it pays our redemption. So rich that it can abolish the meanest sin, cleanse the dirtiest heart, and heal the most wounded soul. Who can fathom the love of God that produces such rich grace?

Task for Today: Every day we should join the brethren in Ephesus in praising the glory of His grace which He has given us freely.