"But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-7).
We were Spiritual corpses, rotting away with the stench of sin(s), "....but God...." took notice and reached down to rescue us from our Spiritual graves, where we lay "dead in trespasses and sins." He is merciful! In fact, He "is rich in mercy." He has a vast amount of mercy. "He loved us...." and He "hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." To whom does this apply? It applies to the saints in Ephesus (and anyone who is saved in any place, at any time. These are "the faithful in Christ Jesus"). (See Ephesians 1:1). I hope you noticed that all who are saved have been raised and been "positionally" placed in Heaven before they were ever born, God foreseeing their free will choice to receive Jesus, as Savior and Lord. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God... For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God..." (Colossians 3:1;3). All of this "that in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." Selah! All of this and much more is why we can say or sing, "How great thou art!" More tomorrow, God willing. Return to see how "the faithful" function. Ron
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