Tag: manifold wisdom
The unsearchable riches of Christ
Scripture reading for August 27: Ephesians 3
“Of this Gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of His power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God Who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that He has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in Whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him.” Ephesians 3:7-12
To the majority of mankind, the knowledge of Christ is something that can be taken or left. Religion has been relegated to that which is optional and not essential. Man has been empowered to make his own choices about what is valuable or not necessary. Adam and Eve brought death on all mankind through their choice to disobey God and reject His wisdom and riches. The riches of Christ were hidden from man through sin and the resulting darkness.
But God’s amazing plan to bring salvation to the ends of the earth would succeed. Paul shared that God had made him a minister of the Gospel and empowered Him to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ as a light to the Gentiles and a revelation of the hidden mystery of those riches. God’s eternal purpose and plan was to reveal the manifold wisdom of God to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places. Commentators offer two possible interpretations of this purpose. These ruler and authorities are possibly the angels who serve God and mankind as the heirs of salvation. They observe the power of the Gospel in action through believers. An alternative explanation is that these are the fallen angels who are defeated at the cross and daily by the Gospel preached by Spirit-filled and redeemed mankind. It could be that both are true!
Have you ever taken time to search out these ‘unsearchable riches’ of Christ Jesus? God’s wisdom is ‘manifold’, or many-sided. Have you considered God’s purpose of revealing Christ’s manifold wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm?
Prayer: Father God, Your wisdom is beyond my understanding and yet amazing. Thank You for sending believers to me to share the unsearchable riches of Christ and call me to repentance and faith. I offer myself to You to be given grace to share the message of the Gospel to the lost of this world. May the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm marvel at Your wisdom. Amen.
The unsearchable riches of Christ!
Scripture reading for September 24th: Ephesians 3:1-21
Paul experienced God’s grace first-hand. He was Jew who had persecuted the church and imprisoned those who believed in Jesus Christ. Jesus found him on the Damascus road and graciously blinded him in order to open his eyes to God’s purpose of preaching to the Gentiles. (Acts 9:11-15) This concept that God would save both Jew and Gentile was a mystery that had been hidden and was now revealed by God through the Gospel.
“Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to His eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” (Ephesians 3:8-12)
The ‘unsearchable riches of Christ’ was the term Paul used for God’s gift of eternal life to all who would believe the Gospel. No one can yet fully explain or comprehend all that God has prepared for those who love Him! (1st Corinthians 2:8-9) God has given us the Holy Spirit and opened our eyes in revelation knowledge to glimpses of these riches. We have forgiveness of our sins and adoption in God’s family. We have been given an eternal inheritance as and heir of God through Jesus Christ. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3) We have the surety or down payment of that inheritance in the person of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13) So much more could be written that these riches are truly unsearchable this side of heaven!
Paul also stated that God’s purpose was that through the church to make know this manifold wisdom to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places. God’s grace can only be experienced by human beings who are saved by faith. Our lives and works will bring glory to God and understanding of God’s goodness to both the good authorities (angels) and the evil (demons). What a privilege to be a small part of God’s wonderful plan and purpose!