Trespasses - Ephesians 1:7-8

Seek God Together

If you appreciate this work, consider supporting it - https://www.patreon.com/seekgodtogether

https://www.seekGodtogether.com

Today we will read Ephesians 1:7 and 8. These verses say “We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”

We’ve been spending time in Ephesians 1. Paul has a knack for writing soaring poetry about Jesus to open his letters and this may take the cake. In fact in the original Greek, these 11 verses about God’s blessing are one long sentence. We’ve seen that God has taken all the responsibility to choose and execute His good plan to redeem. We’ve seen that He did this before you were even born, or anything at all was created! We’ve seen that He loves you intensely. We’ve seen that He’s adopted us. But we must ask the question, from what has He adopted us? From what has He chosen us? How has this adoption occurred and what’s the flip side of the coin?

These verses tell us. We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses. Here we come face to face with the shocking claim of the gospel. God’s method of redeeming you is through His blood. That is, through He Himself suffering, shedding blood, and dying. Why? Why would God need to do that? It tells us - because our trespasses need to be forgiven. We don’t use the word “trespass” often - at least not in the archaic sense. To trespass is to commit an offense, to sin, or to break the law. To do wrong. We could use the modern sense as well - going where we should not.

And here we have a problem. This passage is claiming that our behavior, our very self, is…wrong. It’s so wrong, that it requires God-blood to forgive. It’s not trivial. It’s not a minor error. This is a systemic lawbreaking problem on our part which requires the King Himself to suffer and die in order to fix. So I must ask, does that bother you? Specifically are there behaviors you indulge in and (more importantly) dismiss or excuse as right even if revelatory scripture claims that they’re wrong? Think of it this way, would you be so bold as to call good what the God of Creation shed blood to redeem? That’s incredible hubris. And yet I fear that more and more our culture is claiming just that. This passage, and scripture as a whole doesn’t apologize for calling sin sin. Of course there are thoughts, behaviors, and habits that both you and I have that are shameful and that He shed blood for. That’s obvious. And it’s enough that we do them. But let’s not delude ourselves into thinking something is good just because our twisted selves desire it.

This adoption doesn’t come easy or cheap. The riches of His grace that He lavishes on us cost Him greatly. And He seems incredibly overjoyed to do it. Still there’s another piece to consider - the last part of the passage. How does He lavish this grace? “With all wisdom and understanding.” God shed His blood, lavishes grace, forgives trespasses, and redeems, with not just some wisdom and understanding, but with all of it. He is completely thorough in His wisdom and understanding regarding the entire matter. He knows the exact nature and extent of the problem. He knows all that must transpire in order to transform you into the beloved. He knows how much energy, and cost it requires. And He’s made all the provision. And as we’ve said - He will get what He wants.

Our role at this point is quite simple. It’s to agree with Him. It’s to take at face value that He has chosen, shed His blood, forgiven our trespasses, and lavished us with grace and riches. And strangely that He seems to enjoy it! You could call this belief, or faith. What a God we have!

God I believe You. I believe that You have done all of this. I believe that I need it because I’m a sinner. But I believe You’re bigger than my sin and way better than I could imagine.