… which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Summary: Keeping up with Paul’s train of thought can be a challenge. Today’s passage is the caboose on a long train of words that describe why Jesus came to earth as a man.
Paul is famous for a lot of things. He was the Apostle who started his career by hunting down Christians and hauling them off to prison. He was the Apostle who was struck blind on his way to Damascus. Paul is also famous as the Apostle who wouldn’t shut up talking about Jesus after he learned that Jesus was really and truly the Son of God.
One more thing: Paul is also famous for his long sentences!
The man’s brain is impressive. Sometimes we want to join with Fetus and yell at Paul:
“You are out of your mind, Paul!” … “Your great learning is driving you insane.” (Acts 26:24)
But, he is not insane. Not even close. Paul’s great learning, combined with the powerful brain God gave him, drove him to follow the truth wherever it led him. And when the Truth ambushed him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9: 1-19), Paul changed course.
So let’s look at this sentence fragment and add in the missing context. The complete sentence reads:
“In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” (Ephesians 1: 5-6)
Paul wants us to know that everything God does is rooted in love. He begins and ends his sentence with this truth.
He is in awe that God knew the cost before he created the world and all that is in it. God knew we would sin, eat from the forbidden tree, and die (spiritually). God understood that the cost of restoring spiritual life to his people would be the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus, on the cross.
All of us are sinners. All of us know what it means to look back on our memories and be embarrassed by things we did before we were called to new life in Christ. But not all of us bear the guilt of chasing down our brothers and sisters in Christ, hauling them off to prison, torturing them, and seeing that they were put to death. (Acts 26: 9-11)
Paul does.
He has to live with those memories every day. He never looks at a group of believers without seeing the people he used to hate and want dead. When Paul writes about God’s “glorious grace,” he is speaking from a heart that was tortured by guilt but is now healed and made new.
Finally, the “One he loves” is Jesus.
Jesus is a carpenter from the backwater town of Nazareth in a part of the country that no respectable Jew would want to call home; Galilee. More importantly, Jesus was the Son of God. His former residence was heaven (John 3:13). He was not just a “guy” who happened to be able to do magic tricks with loaves and fishes. He was (and is) … God.
Paul has a unique perspective on Jesus’ holiness, too. The other Apostles all met Jesus as a man. They came to know he was God, but it took time. Lots of time. Paul met the risen Lord in person, and Jesus didn’t hide his holiness from Paul. The encounter left Paul blinded by the light. After that, Paul was tutored personally by the Lord. The result of all these things is Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and this all-encompassing sentence praising God’s grace and love.
Application: Tell God how much you appreciate his love and grace.
Food for Thought: How is the love Paul attributes to God different from human love?
How is the love Paul attributes to God different than human love?
How is Gods wisdom knowledge and understanding different than human WKU? He is the creator. We are made in His image but we will never know what God knows. We love because He taught us how. He keeps teaching us through others and His word. God’s love is beyond this world capability to understand or fathom.
Tim,
Great point! Knowing what God knows means he is able to understand our needs in ways no one else can. Even if his love was the same as human love, he could do so much more with what he knows. But his love is greater just as his knowledge is greater.
Wow! 🙂
I like T’s response.
I think God’s love is different because He is God and truly holy. Since He is love (1 John 4: 8, 16), He really can love totally sacrificially and selflessly. Everything we need to know about real love is seen through the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Rich,
Great verses! (As usual!)
Your verses remind me of Romans 2: 14-15 —
“14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)
Amen
03-08-2023, How is the love Paul attributes to God different from human love?
The Word Of God Say’s:
The love of God is Holy, eternal, steadfast, better than life. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things and is the power of our restoration. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. If we keep His commandments, we will live in His love, just as Jesus lived in His Father’s commandments giving His Life in His Father’s love.
Love Is fruit of the Spirit placed in the hearts of believers who are to let all we do be done in love, not in word’s or talk but in deed’s and in truth. The love of God is seen as fulfilling the law as we keep His commandments, and is the foundation in, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
Too many bible verses to list.
Ron,
So you are saying human love doesn’t measure up to the same standard as God’s???
I have to agree! 🙂
I really liked everyone’s replies on this devotion. Something that popped into my mind when reading today’s post was the old phrase “the thin line between love and hate.” We, as people, have a bad habit of allowing our emotions to change how we feel about others based on what we perceive they did (or didn’t do) to us. God’s love is never-ending, never changing, and always in the forefront of His relationship with us.
Psalm 103:8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Well said, Chris!
I hadn’t heard that phrase before, but it sounds right and fits with my personal experience.
Human love is not the measuring stick for God’s love.
How is human love different from God’s love- that is the real question for me?
In every way our life falls short, lacks depth, character and width.
Our never ending goal and longing in this life is to continually and constantly reach out to God for more of His love. His love is freely available and freely given.
Once received, even a portion of God’s love now allows us and equips us to love others.
GOOD JOB!
Anon-
Beautifully put! Thank you!