Often, the first thing we think about when we come across
the word ‘riches’ is ‘lots of money and material things worth lots of money.’
We think of really rich people in this world like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett,
Mark Zuckerberg, Donald Trump, Lebron James, Oprah Winfrey, and Carrie
Underwood. These people have networths in the billions or millions. They
certainly have access to a lot of liquid assets, cash, and material blessings. Some
of us dream about being rich like this or have goals to be rich like these people.
Having a lot of money and valuable resources are thoughts all of us have probably
had more than once.
The Lord recently showed me something interesting about ‘riches’
when I was studying in the Bible book of Ephesians during our pastor’s message
series. I noticed that the word ‘riches’ or ‘rich’ is a recurring key word in
Eph. 1-3. It occurs six times and none of them refer to worldly riches like
money and valuable physical resources. Instead, they are about abundant spiritual
blessings based on who God is and what God does, especially toward born again
redeemed Christ-followers. Here are the six verses.
Eph. 1:7 ESV In him we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
The Greek word for ‘riches’ here is ‘ploutos’ and it can
mean fullness of wealth, money possessions, or figuratively mean abundance and
valuable bestowment; enriched with something that is good. The occurrence here
is not about worldly wealth. It’s about spiritual abundance of grace in who God
is and what God does. Notice the phrase ‘According to the riches of God’s grace’
not ‘of’ the riches of His grace. If it were of the riches then the amount
could be any amount including a very small amount like if Donald Trump only
gave a dollar tip or just 15% of the bill at a restaurant. But if Donald Trump
tipped according to his riches, the server would be rich with money. God is unbelievably
spiritually rich with grace and according to that richness of God’s grace comes
forgiveness in Christ. Amen! When you receive/trust Christ as your personal
Savior and Lord, by God’s grace through faith you receive His forgiveness for
your sins whether your sin is or seems minor or major. Praise God!
Eph. 1:18 ESV having the eyes of your hearts enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the
riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
Through the Word of God, the Gospel, we learn that
Christ-followers have an eternal inheritance in Christ and they are also an
inheritance to the risen and glorified Jesus Christ. They are the Lord’s church
here on earth. He is at work in and through them and the time will come, His
Second Coming, when Christ returns and claims His inheritance here on earth. The
spiritual blessings of eternal life are already underway in and around genuine Christ-followers
as the Body of Christ. They experience the blessings. They are to be a blessing
to others and they are to be a blessing to God.
Eph. 2:4 ESV But God, being rich in mercy, because of the
great love with which he loved us,
This is the only singular version of ‘rich’ in these 3
chapters and the Greek word here is based on the same one used in the other
five occurrences.
How do we distinguish between the Lord’s grace and mercy?
- grace: undeserved favor and
blessing
- mercy: compassion/pity or
withholding punishment
This combination of God’s grace and mercy are found in the
Gospel. We don’t deserve forgiveness and eternal life and He is compassionate
on us as sinners and He withholds the ultimate wrath of God from those who are
redeemed by Christ. God is abundant in mercy and He displays this through His
great love toward us as seen in Christ’s atoning death on the cross for our
sin.
Eph. 2:7 ESV so that in the coming ages he might show the
immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Here, Paul refers to God’s grace again; this time describing
it as immeasurable riches of God’s grace displayed in kindness toward
Christ-followers. Throughout eternity God will display His gracious kindness to
His redeemed and they will be a testimony of His amazing grace and kindness
toward other redeemed people that while they were still lost in their sin
Christ redeemed them. Amen!
Eph. 3:8 ESV To me, though I am the very least of all the
saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches
of Christ,
This grace mentioned here is the Gospel of grace; the Gospel
of Christ; the great news of Christ, God’s plan of redemption for us sinners. This
grace was given to Paul, who personally experienced it, and Paul proclaimed it
to the Gentiles, the Gospel, the unsearchable riches of Christ. In one sense
there is a simplicity to the Gospel that a child can trust in but there is also
a depth and magnitude to Christ that is more than we can comprehend and find in
full understanding at this time but I believe Christ-followers will know much more
about Him when they get to Heaven.
Eph. 3:16 ESV that according to the riches of his glory he
may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner
being,
This is similar to ‘according to the riches of God’s grace’
in 1:7, although here the word ‘glory’ is in place of grace; God’s glory. This
is the Greek word ‘doxa’ meaning honor, praise, splendor, greatness, majesty; esteem
given. God is glorified in who He is and what He does. He will be glorified. He
deserves to be glorified, and we are to give Him glory with our lives and good works.
The riches of God’s glory pours out of His nature and works. It is out of this
spiritual abundance of God’s glory that Paul prays to God the Father that these
Ephesian Christ-followers would be strengthened with power through the Holy
Spirit; for what? To know the love of Christ better and better, to experience
the fullness of God in your life through Christ.
There you have it. Six occurrences of the word ‘riches’ or
‘rich’ in Eph. 1-3 and they all point to abundant spiritual blessings in who
God is and what God does, especially toward Christ-followers. How about
you? Do you believe in these spiritual
riches rooted in God through Christ and are you personally being blessed by
them?
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,
so that you by his poverty might become
rich.
2
Cor. 8:9 ESV
Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Eph. 1:3 ESV
What are your thoughts on the riches referred to in Eph. 1-3
and what I’ve written about here?
Mike
