COMMENTARY ON EPHESIANS
LESSON NUMBER 8
Eph 1:8 "Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence . . . " (Eph 1:8)
GOD HAS ABOUNDED TOWARD US
Edification involves a certain building process. The saints themselves are the building project, and the objective is for them to be a suitable dwelling for Deity. If anyone but the Lord had undertaken such a process, it would have been utterly hopeless. Edification is not an end of itself. As essential as it is to know the deep things of God, and comprehend the magnitude of God's great salvation and the love of Christ, those are not the end, or objective, but are the Divinely appointed means to a determined end. Your experience in Christ will attest to the truth of this. When your understanding is in the state of expansion, and new vistas of truth are regularly being ministered to you, your spiritual appetite will still be stretching forward in an earnest effort to apprehend that for which you have been apprehended. Even fellowship with Christ (1 Cor 1:9), and with the Father and the Son (1 John 1:3),is not the ultimate purpose of God. This by no means suggests that we are to consider such things unimportant, or that we should strive to gain the objective without the appointed means to that objective. The church is being "builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph 2:22). John saw the fulfillment of this purpose in his vision of the glorified church: "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God" (Rev 21:3). Jesus came to get the work underway. He described that initial work in this manner: "If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto Him, and make Our abode with him" (John 14:23). The building of the church-aggregate commences in this world by each individual "living stone" being made a suitable dwelling place for God. Now it is "through the Spirit." The limitation is our mortality, for the living God cannot be joined to mortality.
In this first chapter of Ephesians Paul is using spiritual expertise to show how we are being individually built up so we can, in fact, fit together. The aim, however, is not simply to fit us together, but to be fitted together for a habitation of God - that He might dwell and work in the saved throughout the ages to come. No person can afford to remain ignorant of this purpose.
WHEREIN - THE ENVIRONMENT OF GRACE
Eph 1:8a "Wherein . . ." Other versions read, "which He," NKJV "which He" NASB "that He," NIV "whereby He," GENEVA "in which," RWB and "God gave us that grace." ERV
The word "wherein" is translated from a single Greek word - h`j (hos). That is, this is not a word that is supplied for easy reading, a filler to make the sentence more understandable. There is a Greek word for, what is here translated, "wherein." From the language point of view, the word is a "demonstrative pronoun." That is, this sentence is intended to elaborate on the grace of God, showing what has been done through it. We have been forgiven in accordance with the grace of God (1:7), but that is not the only thing grace has done. The grace of God is a rich reservoir of Divine supply. It does not represent a mere Divine attitude toward us. All too often, grace is seen as a Divine posture toward fallen man that views him as something entirely different than what he really is - i.e. he is actually a vile and wayward sinner, but God views him as though that was not the case at all. Whether it has been specifically taught in such a way or not, that is the impression that is entertained by the nominal Christian.
GRACE IS AN ENVIRONMENT. Grace is an environment in which the work of God is accomplished within us. If grace has been shown for "a little space," then a little or short work was done (Ezra 9:8). An abundant work, on the other hand, would require an abundant supply of grace - and the salvation God is a great work: "so great salvation" (Heb 2:3).
The Objective. Salvation is an aggressive and extensive work. Its aim is not merely to cover the past. Its objective is stated to be the conformation of the predestinated ones to "the image of His Son" (Rom 8:19). Considering what He had to start with, this is a most arresting considerati9on! Viewed from another point of view, the aim is for the aggregate church to be presented to Christ "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph 5:27) - again, a most aggressive objective! Divine ability is set forth as being able to keep us "from falling" and present us "faultless before His presence with exceeding glory" (Jude 1:24).
In the book of Ephesians, the objective is presented in a most thorough manner. First, while the church is upon the earth, certain intentions are being fulfilled. They include every member of the body being matured so that Christ can minister through that member to the rest of the body (Eph 4:12-16). In this work the body will be united in both faith (Eph 4:12), and in the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:1).
From an even higher perspective, it is to "gather in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth" (Eph 1:10).
Now, let us be clear about this. Any church program that does not blend perfectly with these revealed objectives cannot possibly be from God. Such cannot be valid endeavors, and ought not to be supported by the saints. It is not in order for some well-meaning person to rise and compile a list of such programs so that all will be aware of them. Rather, it is the responsibility of each member of the body of Christ to strive to be able to "discern both good and evil" in such matters. Those who feed and nourish the flock of God are to apprise them of what God is doing, and so instruct them that they will be able to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12). In all of this, there can be no assumption, presumption, theorizing, or philosophizing. That necessitates sobriety, the singularity of devotion to the Lord, a strong faith, the rejoicing of the hope, and being steadfast and unmoveable.
Now, the point of this text is that the grace of God is the environment in which all of this is accomplished. In fact, it cannot be realized in any other environment. If there is a minimization of God's grace, then there is a corresponding reduction in the work of God. Further, it must be "the true grace of God wherein ye stand" (1 Pet 5:12). An erroneous view of the grace of God, or an ignorance of it, will not sustain the soul or enable growing up into Christ in all things.
CONTINUE IN THE GRACE. With these things in mind, the exhortation of Paul and Barnabas to some inquiring Jews and religious proselytes makes perfect sense: "continue in the grace of God" (Acts 13:43). Because God's grace places the emphasis upon His favor, this continuing in the grace of God can be stated another way, "Be ye therefore followers of God, as DEAR children" (Eph 5:1). The same kind of emphasis is found in the words of Jesus to His disciples, "If ye keep My commandments, ye shall ABIDE IN MY LOVE; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love" (John 15:10). Another way of saying the same thing is, "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Col 1:10).
At all cost, we must remain within the perimeter of the grace of God, for all of the intended accomplishments can only take place there. Let it be clear that grace is not given to obstinate sinners, the rebellious, and the carnal - even though men have been influenced to thin k as though He does. The grace of God always comes through the channel of faith (Eph 2:8), and faith will not allow a person to live outside the circumference of the grace of God. Such an action is always preceded by a departure from the faith (1 Tim 4:1).
GOD HAS ABOUNDED TOWARD US
1:8b " . . . He hath abounded toward us . . ." Other versions read, "He made to abound toward us," NKJV "He lavished upon us," NASB "He made to abound toward us," ASV "He gave us in full measure," BBE "He has caused to abound toward us," DARBY "hath superabounded in us," DOUAY "He poured out his kindness," GWN "He hath showered on us," NJB "He shed on us abundantly," TNT "showered down upon us the richness of His grace," LIVING "gave us that grace fully and freely," ERV "He gave to us in such large measure," GNB "He thought of everything, provided for everything," MESSAGE and "lavished upon us." AMPLIFIED
HE HATH ABOUNDED. Salvation is by no means characterized by sparsity or meagerness. There is no rationing of the provisions of grace - no law against gathering what it has supplied. If one only considered the professing church, there is no way that one would conclude that salvation is noted for an abundance of what grace brings. Ponder the number of references to the abundant nature of salvation:
There is an approach to salvation, in both its initiatory and ongoing aspects, that manages to hide the abundance that is realized in Christ Jesus. That is chiefly found in attempting to serve God by Law, adopting a strictly philosophical view of redemption, or being caught in the snare of institutionalism, which gravitates to the traditions of men, formulated into a law.
TOWARD US. Other versions read "upon us," NASB "on us," NIV "in us." ABP The following versions read "toward" or "towards" us: KJV, NKJV, ASV, ERV, PNT, RWB, WEB, YLT, and EMTV. The word translated "towards" has the following ,lexical meaning: "into, unto, to, towards, for, among," STRONG'S "a preposition governing the accusative, and denoting entrance into, or direction and limit: into, to, toward," THAYER "denoting motion toward a place, after verbs of going, sending, moving to, toward, into." FRIBERG The point is not where this abundance is found, but where it is directed. The possession of these benefits is realized by faith. They are not automatically deposited in every professing Christian. Even when they are actually received, the measure to which they are experienced is strictly governed by faith, for we both "live" and "walk" by faith (Rom 1:17; 2 Cor 5:7).
It seems to me that the point here is that any restriction of the abundance of grace is not owing to any reluctance on the part of God. He has "abounded toward us." That, of course, assumes that we are in Christ (1 Cor 1:30), abiding in Christ (John 15:4), abiding in His love (John 15:10), and striving to know Him (Phil 3:10). It assumes we are walking by faith (2 Cor 5:7), and in the strait and narrow way (Matt 7:13-14), and are increasing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Pet 3:18).
The word "us" assumes that all of that is taking place. More specifically, it is founded on the fact of us being "chosen in Him before the foundation of the world." It presumes we have been "predestinated unto the adoption of sons according to the good pleasure of His will,"and have been "made accepted in the Beloved," now possessing redemption and forgiveness (Eph 1:4-7).
GOD HAS ABOUNDED TOWARD IS IN ALL WISDOM AND PRUDENCE
1:8c " . . . in all wisdom and prudence" Other versions read, "with all wisdom understanding," NIV "in all His wisdom and insight,"
CJB "in all wisdom and intelligence," DARBY "all wisdom and understanding," GENEVA "every kind of wisdom and insight," GWN "He understands us and knows what is best for us at all times," LIVING " the possessor of all wisdom and understanding," WEYMOUTH " along with all wisdom and understanding," ISV "Through perfect wisdom and spiritual insight," WILLIAMS"in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence)." AMPLIFIED and "He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need." MESSAGE
At this point, the reader must decide if salvation is driven by the needs of humanity, or the purpose of God - and there is a vast difference between the two. It seems to me that Paul has gone to great lengths to point us in the right direction. He has spoken of "spiritual blessings" (1:3), being "chosen" in Christ (1:3), and being "holy and without blame before Him in love" (1:4). There is the matter of being "predestinated unto the adoption of sons" (1:5s), and the driving factor of "the good pleasure of His will" (1:5b). In the end, the saved are intended to be trophies and exhibits of the grace of God (1:6). In summary, we now have "redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" (1:7).
It ought to be obvious that, in the salvation of God, placing the stress on the personal and self=perceived needs of men is a contradiction of everything that has been said to this point. Yet, men continue to present Christ from this perspective, as the great Problem-solver of what men think they need the most - whether it is something personal, domestic, and some other facet of life in this world. According to this text, this is a total misrepresentation of the Lord's Christ.
Second, we must determine is the "wisdom and prudence" of reference is something we receive, or if it characterizes the manner in which God has saved us. Some versions represent us as having received "all wisdom and prudence." LIVING/ISV/GWN/AMPLIFIED/MESSAGE That the saved can be "Filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (Col 1:9), cannot be denied. However, it is not experienced at the point we have "the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, even the forgiveness of sins" (1:7). There are two sides to the initial experience of salvation. First is a fundamental moral and spiritual change - being born again. Second that which is born of God is invested with the Divine nature, as seen in the gift of the Holy Spirit. The expansion of our wisdom and understanding is something for which the apostle prayed (Eph 1:15-18; Col 1:9. While Christ is clearly identified with the believer (John 1:12), the indwelling Christ is said to accompany maturity (Eph 3:16-17). To put it another way, Christ is to be "formed" in the believer, and that is accomplished in the experience of spiritual growth (Gal 4:19).
This by no means suggests that we are not in Christ, or that Christ is not in us from the beginning, However, it is in a initial sense, and that beginning is not intended to be perpetual. It does introduce us to a certain conforming process which is required for us to be forever with the Lord.
The point of this text is that God has abounded toward us, intendin g that Divine plentitude find residence in us. He has done this in a wise and prudent way. This wisdom and prudence was required because of the technical nature of salvation. The human condition could not be glossed as though it was something hard for men to do, but was more likely to happen if God helped the remedy along. So to speak. Here are a few matters that required Divine wisdom and prudence.
Indeed, the wisdom and prudence required by such things is found in every aspect of salvation, and that in abundant measures.