Our Response To God’s Riches

Having considered Paul’s statement, “to the praise of His glory,” in our last installment, this brings us to the close of Paul’s glorious “song of praise” (vs. 3‑14). We recall once again that this passage is one long sentence in the Greek. Paul was so carried away by the Truth of these words that he could not stop as it all flowed from his heart and right through his pen. Hopefully, we now understand why that was so. Oh, the riches, the glorious wealth we have in Christ!

Commentator William Hendrickson, ends his comments on this passage by writing: “Is it any wonder that when the apostle ponders the fact that he himself and also those addressed had been emancipated from the most dreadful evil and had been restored to the most unimaginable good, and this by the very God against whom they had rebelled, and at such a cost, and that God had even given to them the Holy Spirit as a pledge and foretaste of future climatic bliss when they would receive their gull inheritance and would stand forth in dazzling splendor as God’s very own,—in view of all this is it any wonder that he begins his magnificent doxology by saying, ‘blessed (be)’ and that he ends it with ‘to the praise of His glory?’”

That’s how Paul responded to these great truths, but may we each ask ourselves, “How should I respond to the great truths of this passage?” I would encourage you to read the passage often and consider that there should be at least five responses.

First, response should come in our Worship. As we’ve seen, the whole passage speaks of what God has done, and three times Paul exults, “to the praise of His glory.” This should transform and deepen our sense of awe and worship of The One True and Living God. Unlike the typical service of our day, which is based on entertainment and people-centeredness, this passage should drive us to selfless worship.

Second, response should come in our Walk. God’s reason for electing us was to make us holy that we could then live holy. Our entire Christian life and walk then is a life of godliness.

Third, response should come in our Witness. We do not worship or even acknowledge the existence of the dead gods of the pagans or the false gods of science, philosophy, and religion. We worship The One True and Living God, and it is this message that we take to the world.

Fourth, response should come in our Wisdom. Our wisdom is not in or of this world, rather in the Truth of God’s revealed Word. If we respond correctly to this passage, then all that we do will be based on that authority alone. All we need is what God says.

Fifth, response should come in our Watching. While we have received the down payment of our inheritance in the form of the Holy Spirit, the final inheritance and glory is yet future. May we be expectantly waiting and watching for the coming of our Lord in glory.