#DailyDevotion God Has A Secret
Eph 3:7-12 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. (8) 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, (9) and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, (10) so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (11) This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, (12) in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.
As a pastor I can relate with Paul’s enthusiasm here with the gospel, particularly since I too can see myself as the least of all the saints. When you understand to some extent what you are as a sinner in need of salvation, seeing the flames of eternal torment as your due and then you experience the grace of God in Christ Jesus, well you are downright flabbergasted that God would chose you to be a minster of that gospel.
Paul was Saul who sought to destroy the Church. Now he has been called to build up the Church and preach the message he was trying to destroy. What a grace that had been given unto him. If God can save Saul, God can save you and he has. O the unsearchable riches of Christ, but we will try to make them known and bring them to light. Since the beginning God had a plan for the salvation of the children of Adam. God in Christ Jesus has saved us. The Creator has become the Created. Through the birth, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, man, sinful man, has been glorified and renewed in the image and likeness of God.
Yes, through faith in Christ Jesus, you are being renewed in image of God which is Jesus Christ. Inwardly you are being changed one degree of glory to another. Through the promise of the forgiveness of sins, you are being made partakers of the divine nature. That divine nature consists in true knowledge of God, the righteousness of God, the true holiness of God, and the glory of God.
Not only is this made known in the Church on earth but also in the heavens above. God’s manifold wisdom in doing this is being made known. He has called us sinful human beings to be his children in Christ Jesus our Lord. Having us be the children of God is realized in Christ. Through faith in Christ Jesus and being baptized into Christ Jesus we are joined to Jesus in his glorification.
Now through faith in Christ Jesus, we can boldly come to our heavenly Father with confidence that whatever we ask, he will give and do for us. We need not fear rejection because of our sinfulness for in Christ Jesus he sees the righteousness and the glory of the Son. We do not see it now but we have the promise that when we see him we shall be like him. But the Father who has eternally decreed this sees us as this in Christ Jesus our Lord. When we fear we are not acceptable to God as we are, we confess that as true but then we also confess what is also true, we are acceptable to God because of what Jesus Christ has done for us and he has joined us to himself, bound himself to us and shares with us his glory, righteousness, and holiness by grace. It is a free gift.
Heavenly Father, ever and always continually remind us of your grace in Christ Jesus and until the day we are fully formed in Jesus Christ, give us greater boldness and confidence through faith in Christ Jesus to approach you as our Father. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.