Ephesians 2:4-10
I think this answers the question about what it means when it says "the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints" (1:18b) I think it's talking about the saints (us) being the inheritance of God. Here's my reasoning: By grace, God has raised us up with Christ and seated us with Christ in the heavenly realms in Christ so that he might display the imcomparable riches of his grace, expressed to us in his kindness in Christ (that's a lot of with and in Christs! 2:5b-7). In other words, all the saints are the evidence or display or God's rich grace and kindness expressed to us in Christ Jesus. Because of the common phrasing, it seems like these two statements are connected (as well as the statement calling us God's possession - 1:14).
The phrase "heavenly realms" appears a few times in this book: 1:3 - we've been blessed in the heavenly realms, 1:22 - Christ is seated in the heavenly realms, 2:6 - we are seated in the heavenly realms, 3:11 - we are evidence of God's wisdom to the rulers of the heavenly realms, 6:12 - our struggle is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Paul is very aware of the eternal implications of our actions here in time. What we do on earth does echo in eternity (thank you Gladiator!). He is also very confident of eternity, talking as if we are already seated with Christ in heaven and as if the display of God's glory is already complete. I think Paul gets this confidence from 1:13-14 - the Holy Spirit guarantees our inheritance. It's a sure thing!
Finally, Paul says that we have been saved to be God's workmanship (the Greek connotation is "work of art"), created to do good works. We are not just useless paintings hanging on his wall. We are functional art, created to display God's glory, the incomporable riches of his grace and mercy. We are on display for all to see and marvel at. Our role is to point to the glory of our Creator - not just the rulers of the heavenly realms but the people here on earth as well. God has painted or sculpted us with his image and, now that we are redeemed, the image of God has been (and is still being) restored in us. We are to bear that image in the cosmic art gallery to the glory of God.
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3 comments:
If I woke up each morning and reflected that I am setting out today to be a reflection of God's glory, and that I am part of the Church that is the fullness of him I think that I would better recognize the significance of what I am doing daily. I would really be conscious of the choices I am making, after all eternity is in the mix.
whoa, i like this, i like this post jer! We are paintings, art of God, tiny glimpses of the majesty of God. Looking at it from that way, makes everyone and everything way more beautiful. Just think how much happier people would be, if they looked at themselves in the mirror and saw a little piece of God. A piece of art representing God. If I saw this way, I probably would hug everyone right away, knowing and seeing that they are a unique painting of God.
Man that is sweet!
Yeah, that's right - not just that I am a masterpiece that bears God's image but that you are as well. Not only how am I going to act as an image bearer of God but how am I going to treat others because they bear God's image, too?
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