Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Ephesians 3:1-13.

 

“¹ For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

 

² if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you;

 

³ that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.

 

⁴ By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

 

⁵ which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;

 

⁶ to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,

 

⁷ of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.

 

⁸ To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,

 

⁹ and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;

 

¹⁰ so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

 

¹¹ This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

 

¹² in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

 

¹³ Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.”  Ephesians 3:1-13.

 

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We know that the kingdom of God is now open to the Gentiles.  We know that along with the Jews “the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel”.  What was a mystery to Gentiles at this time when Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians, and more than a thousand years previously, is no longer a mystery to us today.  We may take it for granted.  We may consider it trite.  Today’s Scripture may roll over our minds like water off a duck’s bath.

 

But, we may not sufficiently know or trust “the unfathomable riches of Christ”.  We may not sufficiently approach God with a spirit of “boldness and confident access through faith” in Christ.

 

Regarding the “unfathomable riches of Christ”, Paul later wrote:  “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  Colossians 2:2-3.    

 

We are reminded of what we recently read about God’s great love and power toward us to show us “the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus”.  “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 2:4-7.

 

Regarding “boldness and confident access” to God through faith in Christ, we are God’s children.  “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”  Romans 8:15.

                                    

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:16

 

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”  Colossians 3:1-4.