The Ascription of Praise (2)

As we discovered last time, in light of the glorious truths of the Attitudes of prayer (vs. 12‑13), the Approach to Prayer (vs. 14‑15), and the Appeal of prayer (vs. 16-19), there is nothing left to do but praise God in the way Paul does in Ephesians 3:20-21: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. First, we saw the measure of power to us (v. 20), where we discovered that God’s power is working in us. One reason for this truth is that God is to making each of us all we can be for our own benefit and blessing. But there is a greater reason.

Second, the measure of praise to God (v. 21). Some view the theme of Ephesians as being the Church. While we agree that it is a secondary theme, it is not the primary theme, which is, God’s eternal purpose and the place of Christ and His people in that purpose. An example of this is here in our text. Yes, the church is in view, but before that is God’s glory. So, since God’s ultimate purpose is to bring glory to Himself, Paul closes the doctrinal portion of this letter by presenting two intimately related ways through which God will be praised.

(1) In the Church. What is the purpose of the Church? Is its purpose to be “seeker-sensitive,” to appeal to people’s “felt needs,” to reach the “unchurched,” to entertain, and so forth? Regardless of the redefining of the Church today, its true purpose is the glorify God. God is actually using the Church to glorify Himself. As Psalm 148 declares, everything gives praise to God: angels, the sun, moon, and stars, all the animals, fire, hail, snow, vapours, stormy wind, mountains, hills, trees, kings, princes, judges, and all people, “both young men, and maidens, old men, and children.” Everything praises God, whether or not people intend to do so.

The Church, however, is something special, a grand miracle. We have studied how Jews and Gentiles were alienated and how man in general was alienated from God. Only God could bring about reconciliation, the changing back to the time of no variance, no enmity.

Therefore, what marvelous glory this brings to Him! But, to go deeper, the Church is the living entity that God is using to bring about His purposes on earth. Neither the Church, that is, the universal Body of Christ, nor churches, that is, local assemblies, are to ever bring glory to themselves. Tragically, there are many today who brag about how large their church, what their church has accomplished, how many programs and “ministries” they have, but this an abomination. But how many of these are bringing glory to God alone? We must be careful that all we do brings glory to Him.

(2). By Christ Jesus. Not only is God glorified in (or through) the Church, but this is accomplished by Christ Jesus. The Greek behind both in and by is the same word (en), “a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality,” and is translated in several ways: in, by, with, among, at, on, and through. In light of the context, then, the idea here is that God is glorified through the Church by the instrumentality of Christ. While modern ministry tries to glorify God through the instrumentality of human reason and worldly methods, God wants it done by the instrumentality of Christ. As our Lord Himself declared, “I will build my Church” (Matt. 16:18).

Finally, Paul adds throughout all ages, world without end. Here is another one of his “self-invented phrases.” Literally, he says, “unto all generations of the age of ages,” or “unto all the generations of the eternity of eternities, or the eternity of ages.” The language is obviously designed to picture eternity. Christ is eternal, the Church will last forever, and both shall forever give glory to God. One poet puts it well: “To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, / The God whom heaven’s triumph’s host, / and saints on earth adore, / Be glory as in ages past, / As now it is, and so shall last, / When time shall be no more.”