Ephesians 1:8-10 We all like it when we are let in on a secret. Mankind is lost and grasping for answers in every direction but from God. “How did we get here?” is a hot topic among unbelievers. Since they reject creation by God out right, they scratch and claw for some other answer, and they use science as an end to their effort. Yet, no matter what they come up with it is never conclusive, so they continue to seek their origins. Without that they are left empty concerning purpose in life. Even those who are convinced of some form of evolution they are still left in the dark regarding their purpose in life. As Christians, by God’s grace we have in our salvation an enlightenment about how we came to be, and by whom. We know our purpose in life and much about God’s will. We also know what is to come. While the world continues its struggle to bring about a eutopia on earth, all the while being frustrated at their failure to do so, Christians can walk confidently now and with a hope, a certainty of victory and eternal life with Christ.

Ephesians 1:7-8a In Christ, by God’s grace, we have redemption. While redemption has the idea of a purchase transaction, it means even more than that in Christ. Jesus certainly paid the price for our sins (Acts 20:28; Revelation 5:9), but the word in Greek also means to set free. The picture here is a kind benefactor buying a slave for the express purpose of setting them free. The main difference in what Christ did was that he bought we who were enslaved to sin and made us servants of righteousness (Romans 6:18). Such servitude to a benevolent Master, who also calls us friends and brethren, is not like the burden experienced when we were under the harsh task master of this world’s system (Ephesians 2:1-3). No, it is filled with joy and peace. Our new freedom is experienced by being able to do that which we were designed and created for, to live lives for the glory of God. Such grace was not simply granted us; this grace of God was “lavished” on us. It is grace that provides more than enough to free us to know true freedom.

Ephesians 1:1-6 Grace is not cheap. The common acronym for grace is, “God riches at Christ expense.” and that is certainly true. We find in this passage that God's exercise of grace was not compulsory but rather, “according to the kind intention of his will.” what was this great work that God freely chose to accomplish? First, he chose us. It was not based on anything we did or that He knew we world do, it was solely based on his gracious will and divine desire. His grace is magnified in that he chose us even before creating us, or anything else for that matter, “before the foundation of the world.” While such truth has sparked much philosophical and theological debate regarding the individual’s part in this, and even grammatical debate about the meaning of, “Before,” the bottom line is what Scripture plainly states (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). The result ultimately being that we would be made acceptable to stand before him in glory, a task only holy God could do for us. God not only called us and prepared us to dwell with him for eternity, but he also made us his children. Not simply servants, but children of our benevolent heavenly Father. All of this for our Father God’s praise and glory. We are simply His humble beneficiaries of his glorious grace.

Praise for Discipline

Psalm 66:8-15 When God's people stray from his path, and that with increasing consistency, he will discipline us. Our Father knows what is best for his children, both in keeping us from harm as well as teaching us to spiritually succeed. This is a biblical truth that we oftentimes shun because we typically have negative view of discipline. But Scripture teaches just the opposite (Hebrews 12:4-11). Jerry Bridges summarizes “The purpose of God's discipline is not to punish us but to transform us.” If our Father neglected this parental duty, we would become spiritually sickly and prone to injury. Instead of bemoaning God's discipline we should praise him for it, adoring God in his loving concern and following grace.

Psalm 66:1-7 When applying for a job, it is common for the employer to ask for references. Those who have known and or worked with us that can testify to the quality of our work and character is of great benefit to us. We appreciate it when those we offer as references give a good testimony about us. It would disappoint us if we were confident about our reputation but those references kept quiet about it. Similarly, our Father is pleased when we testify about his greatness in our lives. While God does not need us as a reference as we need references, for he is able to directly testify to souls in ways beyond our ability and comprehension, he nevertheless takes pleasure in hearing us verbally praise and adore him. This is what we were created for, and that is how we find our greatest fulfillment.

Psalm 65:9-13 In every area of our life, and in the world around us, God expresses his goodness toward us. There is no nook nor cranny that is hidden from God's eye and concern. He keeps us accountable to himself by knowing our every thought and step, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). Yet, for those in Christ, we also have the promise of God's pervasive love, “for I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 8:38-39). While God must exercise his justice in righteous judgment, he much more desires to exercise his goodness; his goodness in salvific grace, and goodness in daily grace. Our God is a good God in every aspect of our life.

Psalm 65:5-8, All that God does is right. When we pray to God, he always answers us, but does not always answer us specifically according to our desires. He always answers us in a way that is right for his glory and our good. This should not cause dismay but delight in God's ways. He did not create us first in order to consult with us, gain knowledge and wisdom from us, regarding the best strategy for his creative efforts. That is because God is not only omnipotent (all-powerful), and omniscient (all-knowing), but he is also Omnisapient (all-wise). Thus, our Father knows what is best and right in all that he does for us and for his glory.

God's Powerful Outreach, Psalm 68:1-4

Psalm 68:1-4 Our God is omnipotent (all-powerful) to protect and come to the aid of his children. He routes his enemies and raises up his servants. He will oftentimes go easy on his enemies, for he is a patient God. However, there are other times when he exercises his powerful judgments on his enemies for the sake of his children. He does so that his way “may be known on the earth, your salvation among the nations.” The outcome being that “all the peoples praise you, oh God,” and that “the nations be glad and sing for joy.” While God chose Israel to be his people, he did not exclude the other nations from coming to him. In fact, his purpose for choosing Israel was for them to be a testimony to the other nations, so that they would fear Yahweh, repent, and follow his path. When Christ came, he came with a universal invitation for salvation for all who would trust in and follow him. Christians must never become lethargic in our outreach to the lost. For through the testimony of God working in our lives, and as God works powerfully in their lives, humbling them, Christ continues to build his church.

Glory in Salvation

Psalm 66:1-4. God chose the nation of Israel to be his own for the purpose of glorifying himself among all nations. Through Israel, exercising His acts of protection and preservation, God manifested both His greatness and His goodness such that even the enemies of Israel and of God were silenced and even pretended, at times, to honor God. Such is not the case these days as Israel has rejected her Messiah. While God is still protecting and preserving the nation for the purpose of His glory and the fulfillment of His promises to the nation of Israel, God's people whom He is now specifically using for His glory is the church, the body of Christ. God seems to prefer such self-glorification not by parting seas and sending fire from heaven, but by converting His enemies, making them his children - saving, giving new life to lost, dead souls. The rest who do not know God as their Father will continue down the path of destruction. However, there will come a day when every soul shall give homage to Christ, even those who are bound for the lake of fire (Philippians 2:9-11; Isaiah 45:20-25). For those who confess Christ now, will enjoy life eternal, giving glory and praise to the Father and the Son for eternity.