But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7
Today I was meditating on this passage and considering the Doctrines of Grace. I have often thought that it would have been easier for God to omit the creation of Man considering the fact that Man is now fallen and completely and utterly a hostile enemy towards Him. Why bother sending Christ? All of Mankind is doomed to Hell - it is all we deserve for our rebellion against His commands. His holy justice deems that there is no other option for fallen Mankind. In hell, we would have no one to blame but ourselves. We chose, out of our own free will, to sin against God and incur eternal wrath on our heads. He could have left us hardened in sin and saved no one.
But He chose to save some.
God was not obligated to save anyone. We have no claims on salvation. God could have been perfectly obliged to condemn all to Hell. All we justly deserve is eternal wrath and punishment poured out upon us for rebelling against a holy and righteous God. Why would He save any? Each of us has the same sinful condition. Each of us deserve nothing but eternal torture of which we would never be able to bear or withstand. The fires would perpetually become more intense as the heat of God's anger and justice is fully unleashed on our immortal souls for all eternity. Just as God is infinite and we are finite, we would never know the limits of His anger against our sin. We cannot begin to comprehend the depths of His hatred of it.
But God chose to save some.
Why? What purpose did God have in choosing to save any? I thought a lot on this: so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. God did it to show just how amazing, just how infinitely rich His saving grace really is. God is incredibly kind! The richness of God's grace is all the more surpassing, just as the "greatness of His power" at work in believers is surpassing! How awesome! We cannot begin to comprehend the height and the depth of His grace toward us who believe!
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!
Thro' many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come;
'Tis grace hath bro't me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.
When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we first begun.
1 comment:
As we chew upon this great doctrine, believers should be totally humbled before the Lord. In times of complaining, bitterness, or disgruntlement at work or home, we must be the first to repent, for such things are trivial in comparison to the glory of His grace!
He has bestowed such eternal grace upon His sheep, and yet we talk about salvation as if it means so little. This is because we have cheapened grace and turned the Great I AM into a mere Santa Claus or Snack Machine! May it never be! Repent! Repent!
Therefore, let us fall on our faces in absolute worship! Let us thank Him and pray without cease for what God has accomplished in Christ on the cross for us, His Elect! Unworthy! Unworthy! I cry out! To Him be the glory alone! Amen! Amen!
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