There is a wealth of glorious information to be found within the sentences of Paul's prayer for the Ephesians. Paul is praying for a new state of being for the believer. He is praying that the saints in Ephesus will really comprehend, and then apprehend the knowledge that has been revealed to him about the gospel. Gospel of course means good news/glad tidings, and good news is good news. Good news has no down side or it is not good news. Let me repeat this thought... good news has no down side or it is not good news.
It is interesting that Paul has taken the first two and one half chapters of Ephesians to establish beyond doubt the fact that the good news is all about the actions and faithfulness of God. In fact in the first chapter he states without equivocation that God had established the gospel of Christ before the foundation of the world. Let me break that down a little plainer for you. Before the foundation of the world is before creation. Yes, did you get that? Before God created anything, he had already set the gospel plan in motion. Further, it was with a specific plan in mind. His plan was to bring praise to his glorious grace. Are you listening to what your mind is reading? God's purpose in creation was to bring praise to himself because of the grace he showed in the redemptive plan. Are you shouting and dancing yet? You should be. Ephesians chapter one has so many redemptive decrees in it that it has to be one of the favorite passages of all people who are familiar with and read the bible.
Paul starts his prayer with this "I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, (17) and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Christ dwells in our hearts, by hearts is meant our inner being... our spiritual essence. The way to be strengthened with power in our inner being is to continuously hear the gospel. Gospel you ask? Yes, the fact that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, and not counting tresspasses/sin/sins. Do you understand what that means? God is not focused on our sin/sins. That is the good news!
He goes on, I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, what love you ask? The love that God showed in Christ and the gospel. Again, in order to be rooted and firmly established in God's love for us one must hear the gospel often, over and over. We cannot be firmly established in our love as our love is not real unless we believe the gospel. Oh, we can have real familial love, and even perhaps we can have real brotherly love, but the love that surpasses understanding is the love generated from having peace with God.
How do I know that it is God's love Paul is referring too? Because of this next sentence is why. may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, (19) and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Paul is asking God to reveal to the Ephesians the width, height, and depth of His love. Well, actually God's love is incomprehensible. However, Paul is praying that by the Spirit of the living Christ that saints may begin to comprehend God's love. Again, the truth is that the only way that we can begin to comprehend God's love is by hearing the gospel over and over again. Hearing the law is not compatible with comprehending God's love. Hearing the law drives the hearer to turn to Christ. And turning to Christ, comes from hearing the gospel of grace. Given this most obvious fact why do preachers spend so much time on the law and it's requirements.
The only way to be filled with the fullness of God is by hearing the gospel message. It is the vehicle that God chose before the foundation of the world to bring praise to his grace. Jesus said that there was no greater love than being willing to give up his life for humanity. When one truly hears the pure gospel message it is a filling experience. The gospel makes one be full of peace, joy and love.
(20) Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— Read this sentence and think about what it is really saying. God is able to do/accomplish/perform/grant ABOVE all that we can ask or think. That's amazing, but then Paul says that it is according to the power that works in us. What is the power? The simple answer is the power that comes to us from hearing and believing the gospel. It is in the state of being that is generated by hearing the pure gospel that we access the power that will have God do above all that we can ask or think.
Did you get that? It is NOT in our PERFORMANCE and OBEDIENCE. It is in the state of being generated by hearing the gospel. It is from a place of total peace with the Father. That is what the gospel message creates.
So then, why are most preachers obsessed with the law, sin, and our short comings? The answer is simple. They have missed the way. They have missed the point. This shows why the state of current evangelical Christianity is so far off the mark. This evening I pray that Paul's prayer will be realized in us.
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