But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
Subjective vs. Objective Truth
All truths in the Holy Scriptures can be divided into two categories: the subjective and the objective. Subjective truths are those we can experience and enjoy right now. Objective truths are those we may not immediately feel or experience, yet they are certain and absolute.
We all naturally gravitate toward subjective, experiential truths—the things we can feel in the present. We thank God for every feeling and every experience we have. Indeed, without these, our Christian life would not only be emotionless, but we might never possess a certain internal assurance of our salvation.
However, there is nothing so dangerous or harmful to the Christian life than to focus exclusively on subjective truths—focusing only on what we can feel—while failing to grasp with our minds and understanding the vast, deep, objective truths of Scripture.
Our personal experience is often unstable; it is a very narrow, small, and temporary sample of reality. It is only when we grasp the infinite objective truths of Scripture that our understanding truly grows. Our minds must widen to see the grand picture of God’s plan, which extends far beyond our immediate feelings. When we deeply grasp this “big picture,” everything else in our lives begins to seem small and unimportant.
The Antidote to Worry
If this seems difficult to understand, let me put it in simple words: The best way to stop worrying about small things is to learn to look at big things.
Consider our own surroundings. We have issues within our houses, our streets, our states, and our country. Some of you are constantly worried about your household issues, your health, or your financial problems. For your mind, the entire world revolves around those points. Yet, if you were to grasp the problems of everyone in your street, your house problems would look small. In the same way, if we understand the issues of our entire country, our street problems become small.
Consider the events of the past few months. We faced many national problems: government control of institutions, the persecution of Christian minorities, hate speech, farmers’ struggles, and concerns regarding the election commission, unemployment, and rising prices. Everyone was talking about these things; they seemed like insurmountable problems. This month, however, the conversation has shifted. Those problems didn’t go away, but they suddenly seem smaller. Why? Because we are now grasping the larger problem of the war in Iran and its global consequences.
A larger concern has driven out the lesser concerns. Things that were so prominent in our lives suddenly lost their grip on us because a greater fear drove out the lesser fears. The big thing always drives out the little thing.
This is equally true in the Christian life. We tend to be troubled by “this and that,” and we grumble and complain, wondering why God is dealing with us in a certain way. I believe the greatest antidote to this is to broaden your mind by grasping the vast objective truths and purposes of God. The more you learn to do that, the less you will be troubled by small things. If we truly had a conception of the glory that awaits us—how massive it is—it would transform our view of life in this world. Even our biggest problems would seem like “light afflictions.” This is the ultimate cure for self-centered worry. This is what the Apostle Paul does for us in Ephesians 2:7. He lifts our heads high to see ourselves objectively within the grand purpose and plan of God.
The System of Salvation: The “BEST”
After seeing our frightening condition in sin—the “worst” of states—we now see the “wonder of wonders” of what God has done for us. We can remember this using the acronym BEST:
- B – The Benefactor: The author is God. Verse 4 starts with “But God.” Verses 4 through 10 strongly emphasize that everything involved in saving us was done by God, by His grace, without any contribution from us.
- E – The Enablers: What enabled God to save us? Verse 4 tells us it was His rich mercy and His great love.
- S – The System: What was the system God used to save fallen, depraved sinners? Paul says we were quickened, raised, and seated. The key phrase is “together with Christ.”
I have struggled over the last few weeks to explain the theology behind this system. I previously used the “Triple A” concept—Accomplished, Applied, and Attached. While that may be a difficult theological concept to digest, we must understand the objective truth behind it.
In simple words, the system God used was joining sinners to Jesus Christ in an inseparable bond, in such a way that all the virtues of His saving work flow organically to them. That is how we are quickened, raised, and seated together with Him. We must realize that even at this present moment, our status in the presence of God is that we are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We often tragically fail to realize this truth about ourselves.
The Unpreachable Verse
I admit I am still discouraged that I cannot fully understand or explain these things. I thought that once I finished the previous verses, I could relax. But when I stand before verse 7, I have the feeling one gets after climbing a mountain. You think you have reached the top and can go home, but then you look out and see thousands of more mountains left to climb.
Verse 7 is a tremendously wealthy text that is almost beyond human grasp and certainly beyond the limits of preaching. It answers the great question: What was God’s purpose or target in quickening, raising, and seating us together with Christ?
“That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
I will attempt to preach on this “unpreachable” verse using five headings: What, When, How Much, How, and Where.
1. WHAT: The Target of God’s Grace
What is the purpose of God in saving us? It is the display of His grace.
In any system, we can only react properly when we understand the objectives. If my boss tells me to do something, I ask for the objective so I can meet it correctly. If a client brings new business, we ask for their objective. In the same way, we can only react properly to the Christian life when we understand God’s objective in saving us.
His purpose is His decree, and He will infallibly fulfill it. If you remove all the adjectives from verse 7, it says: “He might show His grace.” A better word is “display.” He intends to display the glory of His grace, making it visible to all.
When you display something, you are putting something of worth in a place of public appreciation and admiration. You don’t display common, ordinary things; you only display things that are very special. If you go into a museum’s jewelry section, you will find precious gems set in glass cases with specific lighting to bring out their inherent beauty. You won’t find a common road-side pebble there; you find a rare museum piece. I have seen people stand before museum displays for hours with tears in their eyes, enjoying what they see.
The concept of a display is that something of intrinsic worth and beauty is put forth so that it may be seen, appreciated, and admired for a long time. The more glorious the display, the more people will watch it.
Why does God quicken dead sinners? Why does He use such a complex system of uniting us to His beloved Son, paying an infinite price, and then raising and seating us in such heights? Why not just lift sinners from the pit and make them slaves in heaven? The answer in this text is that He wants to display His unmerited favor to the ill-deserving. When God is glorified at the end, and all His attributes shine brightly for eternity, His grace toward dead sinners will stand as the “capstone” attribute. It will shine most brightly of all. This goal is what made Him design a plan that confers such amazing, infinite privileges upon us.
2. WHEN: In the Ages to Come
We know that the purpose of creation, redemption, and providence is God’s glory—the revelation of His attributes. From Genesis to Revelation, the theme is God’s determination to vindicate His own character before the whole universe. Since the Garden of Eden, the great conflict has been simple: God says, “I am good,” while the Devil continually says, “God is not good.” God is going to show His goodness to everyone and glorify Himself.
Romans 11:22 says God is determined to display both His goodness and His severity. Yes, God will display His severity to sinners by eternally pouring out His wrath in hell. But here, Paul says that in saving us, God’s ultimate purpose is not merely to give a full display of all His glorious attributes, but to give a pristine and peculiar display to His grace above all other attributes.
And friends, do you know what His “display case” is? It is the likes of you and me. He took dead sinners from the “worst” condition described in verses 1 to 3, and He said: “That is going to be the display case for my grace.”
When God is eternally glorified, His grace in us will shine most gloriously of all. This is because His amazing grace satisfies all His other attributes. This grace did not violate His holiness or justice, nor did it cancel His law. Rather, grace invented and planned a way for the full satisfaction of all the demands of His holiness, justice, and the law.
It is vital for the Christian life to grasp this purpose. It answers the mysterious question: if God is sovereign, why did He allow Satan to tempt Adam and Eve? Why did He allow the fall of humanity and the entrance of sin? The answer is that His plan of redemption reveals the riches of His grace in a manner that nothing else could. It is mind-boggling, but we will play a part in displaying the surpassing riches of God’s grace throughout eternity!
The Timeline of the Display: “In the Ages to Come”
What is God’s target in saving us? He is going to put us on display. When will He make this display? Verse 7 says: “In the ages to come.” In the original Greek, this is a present participle, meaning “the ages that are coming and will continue to come.” It refers to all the ages of future eternity.
If you read this without pausing to think, you will miss the impact. How long is an “age”? Our current age has lasted thousands of years. God has many plural “ages” in mind. This speaks to the infinite mind of God and possibilities far more extensive than anything we have ever dreamed. We can think of this display in three stages:
- The Present Stage: The display has already begun in this age and will continue until the second coming of Christ. Ephesians 3:10 tells us that the manifold wisdom of God is being made known to the heavenly powers through the church. Just as God planted the Ephesian church as a showcase of grace in a city full of idolatry, He has made you a showcase piece in your society today. What we experience now is just a “down payment”—an installment of an inheritance that will continue to unfold.
- The Second Coming: When Christ returns, we will receive full sanctification and be glorified. We will become an amazing display of grace that serves as a source of amazement to all creatures throughout eternity.
- The Eternal Ages: This refers to all future time—epochs upon epochs. Throughout all eternity, God will continue to show fresh, amazing treasures of His grace. Seating us with Christ is nothing less than our co-enthronement with Him. To display the glory of God’s work in us, one age is not enough; indeed, all of eternity is only the beginning.
The Measure of Grace: “Exceeding Riches”
How much will He display? Verse 7 speaks of the “exceeding riches of His grace.” The Apostle Paul is struggling to describe the indescribable. He uses the highest words possible: “Riches,” and then “Exceeding Riches.”
“Riches” refers to the acquisition of wealth; it is the opposite of poverty. Paul repeatedly uses this word to describe God’s great generosity. In the original language, this refers to those who are so wealthy they don’t even need to count their wealth. Even if they lost 99% of it, they would still be independently wealthy. Unlike worldly wealth, which depends on stock markets and can vanish in a recession, God’s riches are independent and inexhaustible.
Furthermore, these are “exceeding riches”—a term that means overflowing, super-abounding, and excessive. It is a hyperbole used to describe something that cannot be measured. These riches go beyond the capacity of human knowledge to grasp, much like the Atlantic Ocean exceeds the capacity of a teacup.
We have tasted only a mere “trickle” of His grace thus far, yet even that is overwhelmingly joyful. It will increase throughout our lives, but even then, what we experience on earth is but a sample. Imagine the possibilities: when we are raised with glorious resurrected bodies and seated with Christ, we will become the central object of His exceeding riches in ways we have never dreamed. Throughout all the coming ages, fresh and tremendous riches will unfold and be poured upon us for all eternity.
The Manner of the Display: “In His Kindness Toward Us”
How will He display this? In the manner of His kindness toward us. This exceeding grace does not operate based on our worthiness, performance, or feelings. It operates in kindness even when we were dead in our sins.
What does this kindness mean? Romans 2:4 speaks of the “riches of His kindness, forbearance, and longsuffering.” Every day that a sinner breathes God’s air, walks on His earth, and eats the bounty He provides, they are experiencing His kindness. Even when humanity provides no gratitude and continues to aggravate Him through sin, God continues to display kindness. This is the act of doing good when we deserve bad.
Kindness is a sweet, gentle, and benevolent disposition to bestow good in spite of our negligence. This is the manner in which exceeding grace will be shown for all ages. It is as if God’s heart is the wide end of a funnel, and concentrated kindness is poured through the narrow end directly onto the head of every redeemed sinner.
Think of the kindness of God in eternity, planning our redemption before we even existed. Think of the kindness that led the Son to bear the suffering of the cross, crying “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” for your sake. Think of the kindness that followed you while you rejected the Gospel for decades.
This kindness will not stop when we die; it will be the very thing that quickens and raises us. Heaven will be God’s eternal opportunity to show His infinite kindness to unworthy sinners. It will be the only perfect exposition of this text. If you want to experience heaven now, broaden your mind and meditate on this kindness. Let it lift your head from your narrow perspective and help you realize how small and fleeting our earthly troubles truly are.
Think of the kindness of God in bearing with us when we rejected the Gospel for twenty or thirty years, continuing in our worst possible condition. Why did God repeatedly follow us? He tracked us wherever we ran, sent the Gospel to our ears, quickened us, raised us, and seated us. He made us believe, saved us, and united us to His Son—justifying us, adopting us, sealing us with the Holy Spirit, and making us joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
Even after He has done all that, some still live like spiritual orphans. It is a wonder to me how anyone can hear these truths and continue to live as they always have—with no response, no gratitude, no praise, and no service. To give only the “leftovers” of your life to God, with no gratitude expressed in action, is tragic. Yet, the greatest wonder of all is God’s continuing kindness toward us.
This kindness will not only persevere through our earthly lives; even when our bodies are in the grave, the kindness of God will quicken us, raise us, and seat us in heaven with Christ until we are just like Him. And it does not stop there. The text says that in the ages to come—in all the successive epochs of eternity—He will continue to display the exceeding riches of His grace through the kindness He showers upon us.
The Sphere of Grace: In Christ Jesus
We have seen what the target is (the display of grace), when it happens (in the ages to come), how much is displayed (exceeding riches), and how it is displayed (through kindness). Finally, we must look at where He will display it. What is the sphere of this operation?
It is “in Christ Jesus.” Once again, we return to the phrase that meets us at every turn in the Epistle to the Ephesians. This is the key phrase of the letter. It refers to the reality of our spiritual union with Jesus Christ. All that God has ever done, and all He will ever do in bestowing saving kindness, is done on the basis of Jesus Christ the Lord.
The only sphere in which God manifests these exceeding riches is in His Messiah—the anointed Prophet, Priest, and King. He is the greater Son of David, sitting on the throne and dispensing the “sure mercies of David.” Those mercies are the covenant blessings of salvation by grace. All the kindness God shows to sinners, whether Jew or Gentile, is found only within the sphere of Jesus Christ.
Application: The TTT Principle
To apply this to your life, you must learn to see your past, present, and future through the lens of TTT: Thank, Transformed, and Trust.
1. Thank and Praise for the Past
When you look at your past and see how He raised you from death to life, it should fill you with overwhelming praise. If you lack joy, it is often because you have viewed salvation through a narrow, self-obsessed lens—focusing only on your own relief or happiness. When you stain your understanding of salvation with self-centeredness, you lose its joy.
We are so fallen that we struggle to grasp pure grace without pride. We often assume that because we believed, we did “our part.” But the Bible teaches that salvation begins with God and ends with God. Its ultimate goal is not our eternal safety, but God’s glory. When you stop looking at yourself and start looking at the Almighty God who chose to reveal His riches through a sinner like you, you will stand like Mephibosheth—the handicapped fugitive whom King David chose to seat at his own table. Like him, we should be full of tears of gratitude, realizing we have been brought from the “worst” condition to the “best” seat at the King’s table.
2. A Transformed Life for the Present
Seeing your present status as someone seated with Christ in heaven should cause you to live as a citizen of heaven and a stranger to this evil world. You must adopt a “Vertical View.” Your mindset should not be dictated by horizontal, earthly circumstances.
Christianity is not always about good feelings; feelings are often unstable byproducts. You may feel empty today, but you must practice faith by realizing you are “complete in Christ.” This identity allows you to go beyond your temptations and discouragements. When you look at life’s worst difficulties, you can call them “light afflictions” because your eyes are set on the eternal weight of glory.
As a citizen of heaven, speak the language of your home country. Replace complaining with thanksgiving. Practice a “selective ignorance” toward the anxieties of this world, knowing you are hidden in the safest vault in the universe. Even the devil is afraid of your position because you are united with the One who vanquished him.
3. Trust and Hope for the Future
Many are worried about the future, but their view is too narrow. If God brought you from death to life through the resurrection of His Son, He will not let you go. We are to be the “trophies” of His grace throughout eternity.
This perspective provides stability. Life is not merely the span between the womb and the tomb; you are caught up in a grand divine project. God may lead you through suffering for a little while to purify your faith, but even then, His character is being vindicated through you. You are part of something much bigger than your own petty whims or inconveniences.
To my unbelieving friends: you may seek the shadows of worldly wealth, but a single moment can turn that wealth to dust. Why seek shadows when you can have eternal riches that no one can take away? This comes only through believing in the work of Jesus Christ. If you despise the riches of His kindness today, you are merely storing up wrath for the day of judgment. God is patient and kind toward you right now for one reason: to lead you to repentance.
Closing Thought
The more I study the Scriptures, the more I see that there is only one way of salvation and one primary plan for the glorification of the Church. It is foolish to look for the Kingdom of God in political states or raw, earthly power. History shows that raw power is often ruthless and evil, but the Kingdom of God is found in the “Lamb in the midst of the throne.” Throughout all the coming ages, the exceeding riches of His grace will continue to be poured out upon us in Christ Jesus. Amen.