The Fourth Sermon on the First Chapter - Ephesians 1:7-10

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him." - Ephesians 1:7-10

I have previously explained that our reception of God's love hinges entirely upon His only Son. Even the angels in heaven are not deemed worthy of God's children without a head and mediator. So, where does that leave us, who continually provoke God's anger with our daily iniquities (Isaiah 59:2)? In fact, we find ourselves in direct opposition to Him! Therefore, God must, by necessity, look upon us through the lens of His only Son, or else He is compelled to harbor hatred and abhorrence toward us. In summary, our sins create such an impassable chasm between God and us that approaching Him without immediately sensing His majestic wrath upon us would be impossible, as if He were poised to obliterate us entirely.

Now, we must delve into how God graciously welcomes us into His favor through our Lord Jesus Christ. This is precisely what St. Paul conveys by adding that "in Him, we have redemption through His blood, that is, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of God's grace" (Ephesians 1:7). First and foremost, we must comprehend that God's enmity towards us does not stem from our intrinsic nature but rather from our corruption. I say it is not a matter of our nature because, since God has fashioned us, it is indisputable that He cannot harbor hatred towards our very being. However, humanity has become deeply tainted and is ensnared in all forms of wickedness, compelling God to be a fierce adversary to us and stand in opposition until the remembrance of our sins is effaced from His sight. For we remain deserving of eternal damnation until we are restored, since God, the source of all justice and righteousness, must naturally abhor the evil He perceives in us. Thus, until our sins are erased, it is impossible for us to entertain the hope that God will extend His favor or affection towards us.

But let us carefully consider how St. Paul employs two pivotal words to elucidate how we are reconciled with God. Firstly, he introduces the concept of ransom or redemption, which essentially signifies the same idea. Subsequently, he presents the forgiveness of sins. So, how does the soothing of God's wrath, the reconciliation between us and Him, and His gracious acceptance and recognition of us as His children come to pass? According to St. Paul, it is through the pardoning of our sins. Moreover, as pardon inherently entails redemption, he wisely intertwines these two concepts.

In truth, God blotted out our sins through His own boundless benevolence and revealed His abundant generosity, without seeking any recompense from us. Indeed, can any mortal ever make amends for the slightest misdeed they have committed? Even if each of us were to devote our entire lifetime to rectifying a single transgression, striving to earn favor from God through such efforts, it is undeniably clear that this undertaking far surpasses our capacities. Thus, God must extend His mercy to us without demanding reparation or satisfaction. Nevertheless, this pardon, bestowed upon us gratuitously, came at a great cost to the Son of God (1 Peter 1:19). He found no other currency than the shedding of His own blood, offering Himself as our guarantor both in body and soul, representing us before God's judgment to secure our absolution. Our Lord Jesus Christ wholeheartedly embraced this mission, bearing the immense anguish not only outwardly, through a cruel and ignominious death in the eyes of humanity but also inwardly, as if God Himself were His judge. He presented Himself on behalf of sinners to provide complete atonement. This is why St. Paul has united these two terms in this passage.

Hence, we must first recognize that we can receive no grace from God or be welcomed by Him until our sins are erased, and their memory completely obliterated. As previously noted, God detests sin wherever it resides. Thus, as long as He perceives us as sinners, He must naturally abhor us, for within us and our very nature lie nothing but various forms of evil and turmoil.

Consequently, we remain His adversaries, and He stands opposed to us until we turn to the remedy presented by St. Paul here, which is the forgiveness of our sins. From this, we glean that no one can garner God's love based on inherent merit. As elucidated before, God must be inclined to fix His gaze on our Lord Jesus Christ and not on us at all. Moreover, it is unmistakable that we are unworthy of God's acceptance until He has pardoned our debts and adopted us, despite our standing as worthy of death in His presence. Thus, we perceive that our understanding of salvation, as Zacharias' song tells us, is rooted in God's mercy and the remission of our sins, which render us His adversaries (Luke 1:77).

Nevertheless, we must bear in mind that the full remission of our sins through God's gratuitous goodness is not extended without the ransom paid by our Lord Jesus Christ. This ransom is not in gold or silver, as St. Peter mentions in his first epistle (1:18), but it was imperative for the immaculate Lamb to offer Himself for this purpose. Therefore, whenever we seek God's favor and mercy, let us fix our entire focus on the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, where we find the means to placate God's wrath. Furthermore, since our sins are blotted out through such payment and satisfaction, we must grasp that we cannot contribute anything of our own to reconcile ourselves with God. In this, we discern how the adversary, through cunning, has undermined all hope of salvation in the world by promoting the belief that every individual must redeem themselves and make amends with God. This is precisely what people term as good works, merits, and virtues within papal teachings. What, then, is the purpose of all the elaborate inventions they have concocted? Why do they engage in ceaseless self-mortification, tirelessly performing various acts and rituals? The objective of all these endeavors is to appease God. Therefore, all the virtuous deeds upheld in papal doctrine are naught but methods to atone for sins.

However, such a mindset effectively nullifies the very ransom St. Paul speaks of here. These two aspects, the act of God erasing our sins from His memory and casting them into the depths of the sea, and His acceptance of the payment made in the person of His only Son, are intimately intertwined. We cannot obtain one without the other. Thus, if we yearn for God's favor, we must acknowledge our status as His adversaries until He, in His boundless mercy, forgives all our debts. Additionally, we must recognize the pivotal role our Lord Jesus Christ plays as the mediator between Him and us. Through His sacrificial death, He secures an everlasting atonement for us, and it is in this atonement that we must perpetually seek refuge.

Indeed, the entirety of our Lord Jesus Christ's life serves as our ransom because the obedience He demonstrated in this world to God His Father compensated for Adam's transgression and all the iniquities for which we stand indebted. However, St. Paul specifically mentions His blood here, for we are obligated to turn our focus to His death and passion as the means by which all our sins are washed away. It is for this reason that God, in the ordinances of the law, established that reconciliation with Him could only be attained through this avenue.

It is true that Jesus Christ not only shed His blood through His death but also endured the fears and terrors that rightfully belonged to us. Nevertheless, St. Paul encompasses the entirety of this concept under a single heading, as is customary in holy Scripture. In sum, we must learn to discover our righteousness solely in God's manifestation of His mercy, freely extended to us by His own benevolence. We must not presume to present any of our virtues before Him to claim a debt. It should suffice for us that He welcomes us into His love, not on account of our own worthiness but because the memory of our sins is forever removed from His presence. We must recognize that this can only be achieved through the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is upon this foundation that we must entirely rely.

Furthermore, St. Paul emphasizes that "all is done according to the riches of God’s grace." He has a compelling reason for underscoring God's mercy in accepting us favorably. On one hand, we witness how individuals deceive themselves with their foolish self-assurance. Most people have perpetually harbored the belief that they could make amends for their sins through their own acts of satisfaction and an array of other maneuvers. In response to this human inclination toward self-deception, St. Paul, to dispel these misconceptions, asserts that we must be overwhelmed by the boundless wealth of God's grace. He could have simply stated that God accomplishes everything through His grace, but by invoking great treasures, he aims to dissuade people from the erroneous notion that they can bring mere pennies when their needs amount to millions. In reality, when adherents of papal doctrine speak of their acts of satisfaction, they do not claim to be comprehensive in every aspect. Instead, they hold the erroneous belief that, in addition to the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, they can supplement it with their own contributions. They erroneously believe they can perform various deeds, bit by bit, to satisfy and appease God. Thus, we witness this deceptive perspective prevalent in papal teachings, where they rely on masses, recite numerous prayers, embark on pilgrimages, observe various feasts, partake in diverse devotions, and even wear hair-shirts, all with the misguided intent of complementing the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, as if it were insufficient.

Still, St. Paul reminds us that the goodness of God, as revealed in Jesus Christ, is an immeasurable treasure that eclipses all else. When we contemplate the immense kindness God bestows upon us, it becomes audacious to think that our humble deeds, like pilgrimages and other devotions, hold any value or merit. Is it as if the blood of Jesus Christ is insufficient to be the price and ransom for our salvation? On one hand, St. Paul aimed to eliminate vain notions where people believe they can appease God's wrath through acts of self-satisfaction and payments. On the other hand, he sought to aid our weakness. Although we are prone to harbor grandiose beliefs about our own virtues and deceive ourselves into thinking God owes us greatly, in moments of earnest prayer and trust in God, Satan may tempt us to despair. We may be assailed by trials and tribulations that leave us so disheartened that all the promises in Holy Scripture and all that is proclaimed to us about the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ fail to give us hope. Thus, St. Paul, to counteract this deeply rooted vice of unbelief, presents the vast treasures of God's goodness, so that our selfconceit may be entirely submerged. God condescends to display such boundless kindness toward us.

Furthermore, he adds that "He has made the same grace to abound toward us in all wisdom and understanding." With these words, he unveils the means by which we can attain what he previously mentioned. Our ultimate happiness and well-being hinge on reconciliation with God, allowing Him to recognize us as His children and enabling us to address Him as our Father with complete freedom. But how can we attain this when we are so distant from it? Although we are utterly unworthy and incapable of achieving anything, it is said that in Jesus Christ, we will find everything that is lacking in ourselves. His death and passion will suffice as a sacrifice to obliterate the memory of all our transgressions.

However, does it then follow that all individuals partake in this benefit secured for us by our Lord Jesus Christ? No, for unbelievers have no share in it. It is a unique privilege for those whom God gathers to Himself. St. Paul also underscores the indispensable role of faith, without which Christ's sacrifice will profit us naught [Gal. 5:4]. Thus, once we comprehend the blessings brought to us by Christ and offered to us daily through His gospel, we must unite with Him through faith. For Jews, Turks, Papists, and others of the like, are severed from Christ and languish in their own corruption because they presume to perform wonders themselves. It is a common principle among Papists, Jews, Turks, and all manner of heathens that they must appease God's wrath. And how do they seek to do this? Through a multitude of means of their own invention, each person concocting their own ideas. Such individuals have no part in Christ. Therefore, if faith is the key to unlocking the door to access the treasure St. Paul has just described, then through faith, we shall be enriched sufficiently for our salvation, lacking nothing if we are joined to Christ.

Nevertheless, there is a significant reason why St. Paul has used these two words, 'wisdom' and 'understanding.' They signify that the teaching of the gospel is sufficient for our full growth, and anything added to it is mere waste, filth, and decay. In essence, St. Paul's reference to the gospel with these honorable terms implies that everyone should humbly listen to what God imparts through His only Son. We should be so receptive that we do not assume knowledge beyond what comes from His mouth. In all simplicity, we must accept whatever He teaches, even if the entire world rejects us and opposes us. We must not overly esteem worldly wisdom, as many are inclined to do, having itching ears and always seeking novelty. Therefore, to avoid becoming frivolous or harboring an unlawful desire for excessive knowledge, let us carefully note how St. Paul asserts here that if we have profited from the gospel, we will find all the wisdom we need within it. Consequently, we should reject all other teachings, not just as unnecessary but as detrimental because they can lead us away from the pure doctrine that God intends to unite us with Him. To summarize, St. Paul aims to show that God bestows an immeasurable favor upon us when He calls us to the knowledge of His only Son, Jesus Christ. Once we have Him, we must disregard all else and not be consumed by the foolish desire to know more, for the fullness of our knowledge is found in knowing our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, consider why St. Paul declared himself a faithful teacher to the Colossians, aiming to bring them to the perfection of wisdom. Although he admitted that his speech was unrefined and plain [2 Cor. 11:6], lacking the worldly wisdom and eloquence praised in society, he asserted that if his teachings were embraced, they would discover it brimming with substance for the complete nourishment of their souls, requiring no addition. When we hear these words today, we should heed the warning to restrain our insatiable and foolish curiosity, deeply ingrained within us. Instead, we should cling to the pure gospel doctrine and wholly rest upon it. This is the essential lesson to glean from this passage.

Furthermore, let us recognize what I have previously touched upon: every time the gospel is preached, God's grace is bestowed upon us. If we acknowledge His kindness and generosity, as evidenced by His provision of rain to make the earth fruitful for our physical nourishment, we should understand that when God sends us the message of salvation, He not only refreshes us for the well-being of our souls but also allows us to drink so deeply that we can be entirely satisfied. St. Paul doesn't merely suggest that the gospel brings us some relief when we are barren; he compares it to God showering an abundance of water upon us. Through this, we are not just refreshed but nourished, gaining strength to endure until the end. Therefore, we must highly esteem God's goodness when He draws us to Himself through the gospel, and we must realize that by this means, we come into possession of the benefits secured for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. He offers them to us through His Word, and He intends for us to receive them through faith.

For a more extensive exploration of this matter, St. Paul immediately adds that God's actions are guided by His revelation of the secret of His will, according to His own good pleasure and purpose predetermined within Himself. This should further enhance the value of the gospel, as it contains the once-hidden secrets of God. St. Paul consistently conveys this theme, not only in this letter but also throughout his writings, emphasizing how we should be deeply moved when the gospel is proclaimed. In the gospel, God unveils what was previously incomprehensible to all humanity, something no one could have believed or imagined. Initially, it appeared that God had chosen only the line of Abraham, seemingly rejecting the rest of the world. Thus, it was a remarkable occurrence when His grace was poured out upon all people without distinction. We know that when Jesus Christ arrived in the world, the same people had fallen into degeneracy, and God's teachings had become corrupted with superstition among the Jews. At that point, it seemed hopeless, but unexpectedly, salvation was offered to all nations. Christ, who had been shrouded in profound obscurity, emerged as the sun of righteousness to illuminate the world.

For this reason, St. Paul asserts that in the gospel, we comprehend the secret of God's will. At first glance, the gospel may appear simple, and some scoffers consider its teachings suitable only for the unlearned. They pride themselves on devising more sophisticated ideas in their dreams than what Jesus Christ's doctrine contains. However, such individuals are unworthy to grasp the depths of what is revealed here, as their pride blinds them and makes them foolish. Nevertheless, the faithful clearly perceive the divine majesty within the gospel's teachings. St. Paul wants us to understand that when we approach the gospel, we are not coming to learn something ordinary but to transcend the worldly perspective. We can never be receptive to God's instruction or truly benefit from His school unless we rise above the world and show reverence for the words spoken by God Himself. In essence, the foundation and gateway to our faith is humility. However, genuine humility cannot exist unless we acknowledge that what God communicates far surpasses our own understanding and capacity. St. Paul's aim is for us to hold the gospel in reverence, firmly believing that it is not our place to judge whether God has spoken wisely or not. We must be fully convinced that everything originating from Him is characterized by infinite wisdom, devoid of any fault. Therefore, St. Paul intentionally introduces this concept to suppress all self-boasting, ensuring that we learn to respect the doctrine delivered to us in God's name with humility and modesty.

To emphasize our indebtedness to God, St. Paul reiterates the phrase "according to His good pleasure," which he had previously mentioned. This repetition serves to eliminate any notion of human worthiness. God's good pleasure can only come into play when we come to Him completely emptyhanded. When we presume to offer anything to God, it obscures His grace, depriving it of its beauty and prominence as it should have. Therefore, to curb all vain confidence, St. Paul redirects us to God's good pleasure, implying that the gospel is preached to the world solely because of God's generous and free goodness. To quell human audacity, he further states that "God had purposed the said decree and the said high incomprehensible counsel of His will beforehand in Himself." Why do many people take such liberties in questioning, debating, and challenging God? It's because they believe they are dealing with matters that should be open and wellunderstood. Recognizing our foolishness and rashness in presuming to inquire into God's counsel, St. Paul likens it to a sealed letter, with God's counsel residing within Himself, beyond the reach of creatures. Attempting to rise higher is a sure path to self-ruin and disaster.

It is true that we should earnestly seek to understand God's will, but we must not go beyond what is revealed in His Word, for His Word is our guiding light. Where God chooses to remain silent, He intends for us to restrain ourselves, as if we were captives, and not venture further. Trying to know more than what is granted to us, exceeding what we ought to know, or going beyond what His Word imparts leads us into a labyrinth or, rather, the depths of hell. Therefore, let us grasp St. Paul's intent in this passage: whenever God keeps His purpose to Himself, we should bow our heads and be content with our ignorance. It is a cursed wisdom and leads us down the path to hell when we presume to know more than what God has taught us. On the contrary, our ignorance is wiser than all the worldly wisdom when we do not attempt to know anything beyond the guidance of God's Word.

Indeed, there is but one single and simple will in God. However, He reveals it to us according to our capacity and in a manner that is expedient and beneficial for us. As we have come to understand, the forgiveness of sins is a matter we cannot overlook, which is why Zacharias refers to it as the knowledge of salvation. It is equally vital for us to know where we can find the forgiveness of our sins. Without Jesus Christ, we remain God's enemies, lacking atonement and inner peace, while God's judgment looms over us. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, is our source of peace. When we grasp the truths conveyed to us through God's Word, we must also revere the mysteries that remain hidden from us, as has been previously emphasized and will be revisited when discussing God's election. St. Paul once again employs the term 'foreordaining' here to emphasize that God predestined us before the creation of the world, though this was concealed until now. In essence, we must bear in mind that we are not called to understand the gospel through our own abilities, self-promotion, or by making God indebted to us through virtue. Rather, God, in His infinite goodness, has chosen to enlighten us. This was not a sudden whim on His part, as humans often make hasty resolutions, but a purpose established in His own counsel, even before time began.

If our restless spirits tempt us to inquire why God elected us beforehand and why He did not reveal it sooner, why it remained concealed until now, St. Paul clarifies that this purpose was, so to speak, hidden within God until it was disclosed to us. In short, we are not permitted to know more than what the gospel announces to us, and we are required to reverence it. For this reason, it is mentioned that this revelation occurred according to the dispensation of the truth in the fullness of time.

St. Paul illustrates that people may torment themselves, but they will fall short of their goal, and all their thoughts and speculations will fail if they persist in seeking to know more than God has allowed. If someone demands why God did not act more swiftly in this matter, they presume to be wiser than God, displaying a devilish pride. Is the creature worthy of support from the earth when they exalt themselves so high? Therefore, St. Paul asserts that the arrangement of affairs belongs to God. Just as a person in their own home can dictate how their people are provided for, what they drink, eat, and how they sleep, how much more should we allow God to do so? Why should He have fewer privileges than the lowly earthworms? Let us, therefore, grant God the authority to govern His church and the salvation of His elect as He sees fit. For we are not meant to be judges or arbiters in this matter, measuring the times, years, months, or days. It should suffice us that God desires it to be this way.

Someone might argue and ask, "Why did God wait for four thousand years between the fall of Adam and the arrival of Christ? Could He not have sent the Redeemer earlier? During this time, countless people wandered in darkness, and a deluge engulfed the world, and yet Jesus Christ remained hidden. Moreover, only a small number of people experienced Him through types and shadows. Only the Jews, who awaited the Redeemer, found salvation through Him, and even they had to offer calves, sheep, and other animals to seek forgiveness for their sins and God's favor."

To understand this, let us turn to what is stated here in a single word: the time had not yet fully come. Why? Because God had ordained it so. This aligns with what we've already learned in the Epistle to the Galatians, where St. Paul refuted the misguided speculations of those who sought to exalt themselves beyond what is permitted. Therefore, let us recognize that it is God's special role to appoint times and seasons, and we must not consider any other time to be the appointed one than what He ordains. Even though we experience the changing seasons every year, if summer arrives late, we should restrain ourselves from murmuring against God. We can say, "If it pleases God to send us warmth, we will gladly welcome it." However, we must firmly believe that it is God who governs, and all sovereignty and authority belong to Him.

If we are expected to act with such humility regarding the natural order that is familiar to us, in which God reveals Himself, how much more should we humble ourselves when it comes to the secrets of the heavenly kingdom, the eternal salvation of our souls, and the profound mystery of the Son of God coming to restore what was lost and perishing? Should we not lower ourselves in this matter, humbly receiving whatever God imparts and conforming to His will? This is why St. Paul explicitly mentioned the "fulness of time." It signifies that we can only benefit from the gospel when we honor God enough to be content with His will alone, refraining from challenging Him or arguing against Him, but rather glorifying Him by acknowledging His counsel as the ultimate source of wisdom, righteousness, and equity.

To illustrate this further, St. Paul immediately adds that it was God's purpose "to gather all things together both in heaven and on earth, by Jesus Christ, in himself." The use of the word "gather" here serves as a reminder that we are all in a state of profound disarray until our Lord Jesus Christ restores us. This restoration applies not only to us but also to all of creation.

In essence, it's as if he is telling us that the entire natural order has been marred and all things have suffered decay and disorder due to Adam's sin until we find restoration in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. While we can witness God's marvelous wisdom, power, goodness, justice, and righteousness in all His creations, there are still traces of sin at various levels, and all creatures are subject to corruption and disorder because of our fallen state, leading God to distance Himself from us [Rom. 8:22].

Therefore, it is Jesus Christ who must effect this restoration, as implied by the "gathering together" that St. Paul mentions here. We are thus called not only to recognize our own state of disarray but also to acknowledge that we have brought the entire world into the same state and perpetuate it daily through our sins. The only remedy is for Jesus Christ to mend everything, to bring about a gathering and unity that will reunite us with our God.

This is the primary lesson to glean from this passage. While it may be expressed concisely, it warrants deep contemplation. It is a matter that should occupy our thoughts continually. When we reflect on ourselves, we should humbly acknowledge our wretched state, realizing that we are separated from our God from birth. We see that we are His enemies, deserving of His wrath, and that our inherent nature tends toward evil and perversity. However, it is not enough to recognize this disorder within ourselves alone; we must also understand that our perverseness has thrown the entire world into disarray.

Therefore, let us humble ourselves and feel a profound sense of shame. Simultaneously, let us openly acknowledge the immense debt we owe to God for His gracious act of gathering us together in the person of His only Son—us who have, by our sinful actions, torn asunder the order He so perfectly established.

It's essential to note that when St. Paul mentions "all things that are in heaven and earth," he encompasses even the angels in this gathering process [Col. 1:20]. Although the angels were never estranged from God and never fell from their original state, they too required this gathering through our Lord Jesus Christ, and for two significant reasons.

Firstly, while they remained steadfast and never strayed, God's righteousness always shone through them. They served as mirrors and exemplars of His righteousness. However, had God chosen to scrutinize them with severity, they would have fallen short of His perfect righteousness, as referenced in the book of Job [Job 4:18]. Secondly, it's vital to understand that the angels needed to be established by Jesus Christ in a way that ensured their unwavering constancy and stability. Without His intervention, they might have lacked the necessary firmness. This underscores one aspect of their gathering. But the gathering St. Paul speaks of here also pertains to their reuniting with us.

We are aware that after our expulsion from God's kingdom, we were cut off from all hope of salvation. Consequently, the angels were immediately compelled to become our adversaries, a state they would still maintain if not for the connection we share with them through the common Head, who is Jesus Christ.

Consider, for instance, the symbolism in Jacob's ladder, as described in the Bible, where it is said that God stood at its top, touching both heaven and earth, while angels ascended and descended on it [Genesis 28:12]. In our Lord Jesus Christ, the true, living, and eternal God, heaven and earth are united. God has joined His divine essence with human nature in His person. Thus, the pathway to heaven is reopened, allowing angels to acquaint themselves with us, even becoming our servants, as mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrews [Hebrews 1:14]. They are entrusted with the care of our souls and, as the thirty-fourth Psalm says, they encamp around us, watching over us and serving as our guardians.

This union with the angels of paradise is made possible through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is why He declared, "From now on, you shall see the heavens open and the Son of Man descending in His majesty with His angels" [John 1:51]. Through this statement, He signifies that heaven was previously closed to us, and we were unworthy of God's favor. However, He has now come as our Head, reconciling us with His Father, taking on the role of mediator, and becoming the Head not only of the faithful but also of the angels. He has gathered all together in such a way that, while the devils wage war against us and continually plot our destruction, the angels are armed with infinite power to support us [Colossians 2:10]. Although we may not see them with our eyes, we must undoubtedly believe that they watch over our salvation.

Consider the alternative. The devil is likened to a roaring lion seeking to devour us [1 Peter 5:8], and he employs numerous strategies to ensnare us. Therefore, the angels require immense power to defend us. It is also imperative that we remain under the protection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who serves as the Head for both us and the angels.

In essence, what St. Paul conveys in this passage is that we were previously scattered and alienated. Through the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have not only been reconciled to God but also reunited with the angels. They have become our brethren and companions, entrusted by God to guide, support, and watch over us. They engage in ceaseless battle against all our adversaries until we are gathered into the heavenly rest [Psalm 91:13].

Now, let us humbly prostrate ourselves before the majesty of our gracious God, recognizing our faults and praying that He may lead us to genuine repentance, which we will maintain throughout our lives. As we do so, let us place unwavering trust in Him and boldly offer ourselves for His service, knowing that our sins are forgiven by the shed blood of Christ. Let us conform to this doctrine and acknowledge that, having been purchased at such a high price, we should devote ourselves entirely to His service. Since He has proven Himself as a compassionate Redeemer, we should have no doubt that His goodness will continue to sustain us through all trials until He rescues us from the clutches of Satan and all his allies, ultimately ushering us into the blessedness He calls us to.

May He extend this grace not only to us but to people of all nations.