Fullness of God's Grace

The Definition Captured by Agape`

Ephesians 2:4-7

His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Let's break this down:

Trespasses are when a rule or boundary has been broken.

What made us alive together WITH Christ?

His great love

What raised us up and made us sit together in heavenly places IN Christ Jesus?

His great love

What does Paul mean by "heavenly places"?

As we who have a relationship with Christ, who are co-heirs with Christ, that as Christ sits at the right of God, all that Jesus is and has we have too. It's an understanding of Identity at its fullness (more on this later).

What ages are to come?

The next generation; the future; the eternal life that is promised to those who put their faith (Belief system and trust) in Jesus.

What are his "exceeding riches" of his grace?

That those who have a relationship with Jesus Christ are no longer dead in trespasses, sins that caused us to cross God's boundaries with disobedience due to what we want.

So what are we because of his grace, the exceeding riches that are found in Christ?

• We are no longer alone as a people, nor are we alone and separated from God. He made us ALIVE together with him. He conquered the grave, and because of this we have too.

• We are no longer "lying down" but RAISED together with him (like dry bones that came to life because the "word of the Lord" spoke to the dead things within, bringing up a remnant, the people set apart for his glory to be seen. See Ezekiel 37:1-14)

• We are 'made' to SIT together. After God created the heavens and the earth on the seventh day, he rested; he sat down as the work was completed. In the midst of that creation, we were created in God's image.(Go to Genesis 1: 26-27 and notice the parallel with the word MADE).

  When Jesus stated on the cross, "It is finished," and rose again on the third day, after some time with the disciples, he sat down as the work he was sent to do was finished.

How is his kindness shown toward us in Christ Jesus?

The Holy Spirit. His kindness is in the unity of the Trinity; the Holy Spirit's work from the Father, sent to us by Jesus' request, is not finished yet.

Why did Jesus ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit as a kindness to us?

Because Jesus was the only person who carried the Spirit, and due to his crucifixion, death, and resurrection, the Spirit Jesus asked the Father to send as of God works in us and through us the same way he did within Jesus. The kindness of the Spirit brings conviction, change, hope, love etc. Jesus carried all the attributes of God and now we have that same opportunity.