One of the biggest “buts” in all of literature comes at the
beginning of Ephesians 2:4. Paul has been describing the utter hopelessness of
all those who are outside of Christ, using the metaphor of life and death. He
says everyone was once metaphorically, symbolically, spiritually dead. Everyone
was doing the bidding of the “prince of the power of the air,” the one who
works in all the “sons of disobedience” which means everyone – “all mankind.”
“But God,” Paul says, “made us alive together with Christ.”
God cancelled the penalty due for disobedience and brought life into that which
was once dead. And not just any life, but spiritual, eternal life, according to
the Greek word Paul used. As if that were not enough, Paul goes on to say that
God has “seated us with him in the heavenly places.” And there we sit,
positionally, not yet physically, in the throne room of God. That’s quite a
promotion: from death to life, from earth to Heaven.
The natural question is why. Why would God do such an
amazing thing? Paul says it’s because God wanted to, “show the immeasurable
riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Then comes a couple
verses that are among the most well-know, often-quoted in all Scripture: “For
by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is
the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” So through
no work of our own, God gave us this marvelous promotion just to show His
grace.
Next question: to whom did God want to make this demonstration
of His marvelous grace? We have to skip into Chapter three to find the answer.
Verse 10 says, “So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now
be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” Throughout
the New Testament, “rulers and authorities” is a way of referring to angels,
either good or bad angels. Angels are a higher class of created being, created
before humans (I believe) for the purpose of doing God’s work. For some reason
known only to God, He wanted to show His love and grace in action to a watching
group of angels. Et voila, here we
are.
Last question: what is it we are supposed to be showing the
angels? Bottom line: God’s love for us. Paul says that God abolished the
penalty against us through His grace so that He might reconcile us to Himself.
Now that we are reconciled, seated in the heavenly places, what are we supposed
to do about it? Work. 2:10 says, “we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand.” We are supposed to stop
doing the works of the prince of the power of the air and start doing the works
the Creator of the universe has prepared for us.
Those of you who work for a living probably have at one time
or another heard from the boss what you are supposed to do with your workday.
It may have been once in a job description, or it may be every day you are told
what to do. It’s kind of like that with the Big Boss too. In Ephesians 2:8-10
Paul says we are not saved because we work, but because God worked. He worked
out the details of our salvation before we were born… before the Earth was
born. Paul then says that we were saved in order to work the works that God
planned for each one of us way, way back when He planned our salvation. God has
something specific for each one of His chosen to do, something that is part of
His ongoing, eternal plan. You have a part in the ongoing, eternal plan of the
Creator of the universe. Have you checked in with the Boss today to see what
work He has scheduled for you today?
