The Superabundant Grace of God Lavished Upon the Saints

Ephesians 1:7–12 NKJV

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

Last week we focused on the redemption that we have in Christ.

Redemption from the guilt and condemnation of sin

Redemption from the futile life of sin to a holy life through the sanctification of the Spirit

And the future redemption of our bodies and the purchased possession of which the Holy Spirit is the earnest.

This redemption was not purchased with silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ.

If anyone requires evidence that our faith is not a man made religion then here it is. Because no man would have ever dreamed up so great a salvation as this. God’s righteousness not only upheld but made to shine while at the same time redeeming and reconciling ungodly sinful mankind to himself. And all this received not by good works but by grace through faith. It goes completely against our nature to find salvation through grace. We always want to earn our salvation, work for it. It seems unfair to us that someone could be redeemed through faith. All man made religions require working, earning your salvation. But God’s wisdom is revealed by sending His own Son to die on the cross for us. Who can die for all mankind? Only the life God could atone for all mankind! But how can God represent mankind? He must also be man. And so the only redemption for mankind must be a saviour who is both God and Man. So Jesus Christ God made flesh. He is both completely God and completely man. He is my kinsman! and he is my redeemer.

This gospel is the wisdom and power of God revealed.

And this redemption, Paul says, is according to the riches of God’s grace which He made to abound towards us in all wisdom and insight.

The Greek word here translated as abound is understated in the english. It would be better as superabundant or overabundant. Some translations translate it as lavished. But the idea is certianty that it is much more than abound. It is the overflowing blessings of God on His saints. In Rom 5:19-21

Romans 5:19–21 NKJV

19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

pĕrissĕuō, per-is-syoo´-o

Meaning to superabound

hupĕrpĕrissĕuō, hoop-er-per-is-syoo´-o

Hyper per-is-syoo-o

which means something like hyper super overabundant.

The idea here is that no mater how much sin increases or abounds it can never abound more than the grace of God can over abound it.

The riches of God’s grace in our salvation is more than sufficient. It is grace upon grace and mercy upon mercy.

In our text this morning we can see three ways in which God lavishes this grace upon His children.

In the Knowledge of the Mystery Will

So God has lavished His grace on us by having made known to us the Mystery of His will.

Certianty God makes His personal will known to us through the leading of His Spirit. However, thats not what Paul is referring to here. Rather he is referring to the mystery of God’s will in a broader sense.

Here he has already been relaying God purpose and will to us. That He chose us before the foundations of the world, that He predestined us to adoption as sons, which he said was according to the good pleasure of His will. God Chose to bless those who He chose to bless. To have mercy on whom He wills to have mercy according to His will alone.

Romans 9:15–16 NKJV

15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.

Also His will is revealed in the redemption through His (Christ’s) blood, the forgiveness of sins. What a beautiful expression of God purpose

These are great mysteries but not mysteries that we should neglect because Paul says here that this is one of the ways that God has caused His grace to abound to us that he has revealed these mysteries to us.

In all the centuries of church history knowledge and learning has never been more accessible. Most of us are literate in reading and writing. Even if you can’t read there are libraries full of audio books and videos. We live in the information age and yet the Christians neglect the deep study of God’s Word. Many even believing that to study doctrine (the teachings of the Word or Whatsoever things Christ taught) is unspiritual.

There are mysteries which are not for us, however the mysteries that have been revealed to us are given as God grace and are for us to search out and learn and study and grow in knowledge.

Deuteronomy 29:29 NKJV

29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

If you want a weak church which is carried away with every wind of doctrine then don’t teach or study the Word. If you you want a church full of Christians that are weak against temptations and easily deceived by sin then don’t teach doctrine. But if we are to be strong in our faith resilient against spiritual attack and godly in our conduct then we must soak up the doctrines and mysteries revealed to us in God’s Word. That doesn’t mean we must all go to seminary and get PHD’s. It means we should read God’s Word with purpose, with the Holy Spirit teaching us. Listen to sound teaching that holds to the orthodox teachings of church history, make use of good resources and learn discernment. Look for teachers who righty divide the Word and avoid teachers that make little use of the Word of God or use scripture out of context.

Through the inspired writers of the scriptures we have been given the revelation of the mystery of God’s will. Let’s not neglect it.

One of these mysteries which is revealed is found in the following verse

Ephesians 1:10 NKJV

10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

In the Unity of Heaven and Earth

This is a future grace that in the dispensation of the fullness of times

The word translated dispensation here literally means the stewardship or administration. God’s purpose according to the good pleasure of His will is working out in time perfectly according to the set time that He has determined. God has chosen and predestined his plan to work out from the moment time began to the moment it ends and all things work out perfectly according to His divine plan.

Galatians 4:4–5 NKJV

4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

There is a time for your salvation

2 Corinthians 6:1–3 NKJV

1 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.

There was an appointed time for Christ to come into the world, there was and appointed time for your salvation, and there is an appointed time for the unity of all things in heaven and on earth in Christ. Things in heaven the angels in heaven who are not fallen and by things of earth is meant the elect church of God. At the appointed time these will be unified together. Including those souls that have gone before who await the resurrection and the reunion of their redeemed bodies and the reunion with all the saints together united in one in Christ. This will also be the perfect unity of Jews and Gentiles, male and female, bond and free, rich and poor. All will be in Christ and there will be no more division, no more fighting, no more wars, only unity.

God’s grace will abound toward us in perfect unity in Christ.

And finally God’s grace is lavished on us...

In the Obtained Inheritance

Ephesians 1:11 NKJV

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

This relates to the adoption as sons. In Christ we are heir of God’d estate. It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

This is an inheritance already obtained purchased for you and I by the precious blood of Christ. The full redemption of this inheritance is yet to come but we have the guarantee which is the in dwelling Holy Spirit.

The Word translated inheritance here mean an allotment or a share assigned by God. Like the promised land was divided up and given to each tribe and allotment according to God’s choice which He has predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.

He predetermined that the elect would be adopted and made heirs and He predetermined the allotment that each would receive of the inheritance. God’s sovereign choice, His predestination and plan of the working out of all things in the fulness of time is not according to any other. He is the great cause. You and I, our lives, calling, redemption, it’s all his work, His choice, and His choice is not influenced by outside forces. His choice is based solely on the counsel of His own will. When God set the dispensation of time who did He seek counsel from? When He determined before the foundation of the world to chose the elect to adopt and redeem by the blood of Christ to make a display of His grace, which whom did He commune? The answer must be, can only be His own will and nothing or no one else.

And for what purpose did he do all this? That we should be to the praise of His glory.

We who first trusted in Christ the apostles, the Jews. But also those who also trusted after they heard the word of truth. That is the Gentiles Ephesians, us and those who have not yet trusted in Christ.

All is for the praise of His glory.

We are Saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed by Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone.

Perhaps today is the fulness of time for you to trust in Christ. Maybe the Father is drawing you even now. Today you can put you trust in Christ.