Vers. 4–7. The Great Change effected in Man by the Gospel.
I. The happy change which the Gospel made in the Ephesians.—A change not peculiar to them, but common to all sincere believers.
1. God hath quickened us.—Made us alive with Christ. (1) True Christians are alive; they have spiritual senses and appetites. (2) Spiritual motions. (3) Spiritual pleasures. (4) Spiritual powers. The spiritual life comes through Christ and is conformed to Him.
2. God hath raised us up together with Christ (ver. 6).—His resurrection is a proof and pattern of that of believers.
3. God hath made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ.—His entrance into heaven is a proof of the final salvation of believers. He sits there for them, to take care of their interests, and in due time will bring them to sit where He is.
II. Contemplate the mercy of God in this great change.—“God, who is rich in mercy” (ver. 4). The mercies of God are rich in extent, in number, in respect of constancy, in variety, in value. “The great love wherewith He loved us.” He first loved us. His love shines brighter when we consider what a being He is. He is infinitely above us. He is self-sufficient. The Gospel gives us the most exalted conceptions of God’s character.
III. The general purpose of God’s particular mercy to the Ephesians (ver. 7).—God’s mercy in reclaiming one transgressor may operate to the salvation of thousands in ages to come. The Gospel dispensation was intended to serve some useful purposes among other intelligences. Not only God’s gracious dispensation to fallen men, but also His righteous severity toward irreclaimable offenders, is designed for extensive beneficial influence.—Lathrop.
Vers. 4, 5. The State of Grace.
1. Salvation originates in the love of God.
2. That it consists in emancipation from evil.—“Quickened us together with Christ;” that is, gave life. The love and mercy of God were shown in this—not that He saved from penalty, but from sin. What we want is life, more life, spiritual life, to know in all things the truth of God, and to speak it, to feel in all things the will of God and do it.