“To Reveal His Goodness"

"To Reveal His Goodness"

      "God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in 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 through Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-7).

    Note the Apostle Paul's explanation of why God enlivened, saved, and raised up born again believers, thereby seating us together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  Our Lord extends completely undeserved kindness to us in order to reveal the immeasurable abundance of His grace.  Born again believers exist for the sublime purpose of serving as showcases for the goodness of God.  Aspects of His character and nature shine through us in a manner and measure no other creation of God can display.  Indeed, consider that we rightly deserve His rejection and wrath - "we have every one turned to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6).  Through Christ, however, we receive "abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness" (Romans 5:17).  An inverse proportion exists in this mercy of God.  He does not judge us according to our iniquity, but rather bestows the grace of all we do not deserve.  Indeed, were it possible for some outside watcher to exist who might view the relationship between God and humanity, the witness would not understand.  Perhaps such watchers do exist, in the person of angels, of whom the Apostle Peter declares that they "desire to look into" the realities of a Gospel beyond all comprehension (I Peter 1:12).

    We must make this truth intensely personal.  You and I will forever exist as subjects of a King devoted to our serving as the means whereby He reveals His gracious goodness.  He redeemed us in order to be kind to us.  You and I merit nothing of the sort.  On the contrary, you and I rather deserve to serve as the display of what happens when created beings distrust and disobey their Creator.  You and I should, by all seeming rights, forever experience the rejection of our own making.  Instead, grace bestows upon us the redemption of Christ's dying, rising, and redeeming all who receive His free gift of salvation.  "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:20-21).  You and I, forever and in this moment, exist as the recipients of grace in order that we might reveal God's goodness.  Little wonder that angels desire to look into such glory, and little wonder that you and I, forever and in this moment, bow our heads in wonder and our hearts in worship.

"The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus."

(I Timothy 1:14)

Weekly Memory Verse

   The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

(Proverbs 11:17)