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means minimizes grace, but adds to its fulness; we praise the glory of it. Truly we can
say as one of old, "The Lord will give both grace and glory." Of the Prison Epistles
Ephesians is pre-eminently the Epistle of grace. The word occurs twelve times, and the
order and arrangement of the occurrences is instructive.
Charis (grace) in Ephesians.
A | 1: 2. Grace to you.--Salutation.
B | 1: 6. Grace exhibited in salvation.
a | 1: 7. Riches. Redemption.
b | 2: 5. Saved.
a | 2: 7. Riches in ages to come.
b | 2: 8. Saved.
C | 3: 2. Dispensation of the grace of God.--Dispensation.
B | Grace manifest in service.
a | 3: 7. According to gift of grace.
b | 3: 8. Grace given to preach.
a | 4: 7. According to. . . . gift of Christ.
b | 4: 29. Grace ministered to hearers.
A | 6: 24. Grace be with all that love our Lord Jesus Christ.--Benediction.
How truly does the divine arrangement of this word emphasize its place and
importance. No salutation is complete without it, and the parting benediction is enriched
by it. It runs through the whole fabric of redemption, covering the ages past and to come
with its unction. It gives its name to the special dispensation committed to the Apostle
Paul, marking it off as pre-eminently one of grace. It vitalizes the outcome of
redemption, namely service, being as much necessary for the inspired and gifted Apostle
while preaching the Word, as for the individual believer in his everyday conversation. To
realize grace is to realize God's purpose. To realize that all law, and all possible demand
upon the flesh, is at an end, to be able to say that we are justified by the faith OF Christ,
and that we live by faith OF the Son of God (Gal. 2: 16-20), is to realize in some measure
the meaning of grace. Grace and works, grace and merit, grace and the flesh, are
antipodal.
The praise that is unto the glory of His grace has a twofold argument presented to it by
the context. On the one hand we have a progressive series of blessings, on the other we
have them all crystallized into one glorious statement.
Blessed with all spiritual blessings
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in the heavenlies in Christ.
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All fully met and
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included in the words
Chosen in Him before the overthrow,
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"Accepted in the Beloved."
to be holy and without blame,
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predestinated unto sonship.
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Is it any wonder that the inspired writer speaks of the GLORY of His grace? Is it any
wonder that he breaks into his summary of blessings with the note of praise? Praise
should be continually in our hearts, and on our lips; murmurings and disputings, alas, too
often are heard instead. "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me" saith the Lord, Who is