“Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;” (Ephesians 3:8)
These were Paul’s words to the Ephesians. Grace, the free undeserved favor and love of God was given so that man could come to the Lord. That grace is given because of Jesus, Who gave His life to give us life. Those who grasp at grace God gives them sonship. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:” (John 1:12) Paul, who before coming to Christ persecuted the church, considered himself the least of the saints and knew that it was by God’s grace that he preached the Gospel.
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:” (2Timothy 1:9-10) We have skimmed the surface of this Scripture, but let’s get to the core marvelous Truth. It was because of God’s undeserved favor and love that He has invited us to be participants in His purposes. God’s purpose has been revealed in Jesus, Who has conquered death and has brought eternal life to man. Paul makes clear that that this life is immortality which can only be known in the Gospel. The Truth is “better than good news,” the meaning of “Gospel.”
Man has always been searching for the fountain of youth. But immortality is found in Jesus. And it’s revealed to those who believe in Jesus and accept God’s holy invitation. This is the Gospel that Paul preached. And this is the Gospel we need to tell people about. Paul preached the unsearchable riches of Christ. Unsearchable means it’s impossible to be found. It can’t be explored or researched to discover it. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33) It’s only revealed by the Holy Spirit when we belong to Jesus. That is why all those searching for the fountain of youth couldn’t find immortality when it was right in front of them in the Gospel.
The Truth of the Gospel is beyond our comprehension. We won’t fully understand everything until we are face to face with our Lord. But all that is necessary to know here on earth is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. We are like the disciples of Jesus in many ways. Jesus spoke many Truths to them which they never fully understood until they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. And we will never fully understand the profound Truth of the Gospel unless we have the Holy Spirit. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1Corinthians 2:14)
The list of the riches of Christ can fill volumes, but one encapsulates them all. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:16-17) We have taken these Scriptures too lightly because we relate more to this world than God’s world. If we believe in Jesus, Who He is and what He did and have accepted God’s holy invitation of undeserved favor and love, then we are God’s child, on the same plane as Jesus. Except Jesus is the glorified Lord and High Priest of our salvation. He is exalted forever, but we are right there with Him, also glorified with Him because we have believed in Him. I must admit, it’s hard to understand. But we can accept it because God’s Word says it. How it all works and how it all will happen we believe and accept as God’s profound Truth to be revealed. When it all happens, we will know and understand, just like the disciples of Jesus broke through on Pentecost and understood all the things Jesus had spoken to them.
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