The Seventh Sermon on the First Chapter - Ephesians 1:17-18

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." - Ephesians 1:17-18

By nature, all individuals possess a measure of understanding. This understanding does not immediately manifest at birth but is gradually acquired over time, allowing everyone to discern between good and evil, thus affirming their status as rational beings. However, the innate understanding we possess falls short when it comes to guiding us to the heavenly kingdom. In matters of heavenly life, we often find ourselves lacking. Many tend to focus on worldly concerns and personal interests. Even those who may wish to silence their conscience occasionally experience moments of moral reckoning, acknowledging the difference between good and evil. God has implanted this moral sense within our hearts, ensuring that all are left without excuse and compelled to serve as their own judges.

Nevertheless, as previously noted, this foundational understanding remains insufficient to lead us to God or unveil the kingdom of heaven in a manner that enables us to grasp the path to salvation or how to call upon God effectively. In this respect, we are profoundly blind, for our vision does not extend beyond the earthly realm. Consequently, it becomes incumbent upon God to work within us and bestow upon us new eyes capable of comprehending the essentials of our salvation. This is precisely why St. Paul entreats God for enlightened eyes in his prayer, presuming that humans already possess a rudimentary understanding—not enough to ascend to the loftiest heights required, yet adequate to have a seed of religious consciousness within them and to acknowledge the existence of God.

Moreover, God must bestow upon us a clarity of vision, a precious gift we utterly lack due to the original sin of Adam. We find ourselves immersed in such profound darkness that we instinctively wander from the right path, desperately needing God's divine intervention. It is crucial to understand that what is conveyed here is that God has done much more for us by granting us the eyes of understanding than merely creating us as human beings and placing us in this world. Through this profound gift, He not only transforms us but also imparts to us clear and certain insight, particularly regarding His chosen ones. This privilege is reserved exclusively for His children; it is not a common experience for all of humanity. As we have observed, even when God performs miracles in plain sight, only those with enlightened eyes can truly grasp the depth of His power.

A poignant illustration of this truth can be found in the example of the Israelites during their sojourn in the wilderness. Despite bearing witness to astonishing miracles such as the parting of the Red Sea, water gushing from a rock, manna descending from the heavens, the guidance of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, the abundant provision of meat, and the severe punishment of rebels and those who succumbed to their desires, the people remained spiritually blind. Moses admonished them, urging them to seek God, that they might be illuminated by His Spirit. Even after witnessing these wondrous signs, their hearts and eyes remained veiled to the truth. This illustrates that humans, by their very nature, are spiritually dull and unable to comprehend anything related to their salvation until God graciously works within them.

Therefore, it is of utmost importance to cast aside all pride and humbly implore God for understanding. We must acknowledge our innate incapacity to rightly discern the works of God and derive benefit from them until He bestows upon us the gift of spiritual insight from the heavenly realms. This forms the core message of this passage.

It is pertinent to observe how the world has been ensnared by the notion of free will that has been deeply ingrained in their minds. The Papists readily concede that without God's grace, we cannot conduct ourselves as we ought. Nevertheless, they also assert that we can enhance God's grace through our free will, amalgamating the two. When they attempt to define free will, they describe it as a complex faculty encompassing reason and prudence to choose the good and avoid evil, coupled with the power and ability to execute our intentions. However, St. Paul's words here shed light on human reason, a faculty they exalt as the supreme authority governing all our thoughts and actions. St. Paul vividly illustrates that this human reason is utterly blind until God renews it. It is not a matter of us possessing some inherent ability, with God merely required to supplement our deficiencies. Had that been the case, St. Paul might have expressed that God assists or augments the light within us or adds what it lacks. However, his language differs significantly. He implores God to grant us enlightened eyes, emphasizing that it is a divine gift, not a mere patching up of our deficiencies. St. Paul unequivocally asserts that as blind beings, we are incapable of perceiving anything until God opens our eyes. We are guided and governed by the revelation of His Holy Spirit, as previously discussed.

Now, given that human nature is inclined toward extremes and often indulges in unproductive speculations, St. Paul wisely redirects our attention to what should fully occupy our hearts and minds – the pursuit of understanding the hope associated with our divine calling. As I've noted previously, humanity possesses an inherent curiosity, perpetually exploring and concocting various groundless ideas. This tendency often leads individuals to torment themselves, ceaselessly accumulating knowledge without ever attaining a genuine comprehension of the truth, as St. Paul astutely points out. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that we recognize that all knowledge we ought to seek is centered on the hope to which God has summoned us. The purpose of Scripture is not to inundate our minds with vacuous or extraneous information, but rather to edify us for our ultimate benefit. Its intent is to instill in us a profound appreciation of God's goodness, drawing us nearer to Him and unveiling our true happiness, which is found in His presence.

From this, it becomes evident that, without the illumination of the Lord through His Holy Spirit, we are utterly incapable of discovering the way or gaining access to the heavenly life, not even catching a glimpse of its essence. Consequently, our most pressing need is for the Lord to bestow upon us the possession of our salvation by the power of His Holy Spirit. As I previously mentioned, faith serves as the conduit through which we access the kingdom of heaven and the inheritance secured for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. However, it is imperative that God imparts this faith to us through His Holy Spirit. Therefore, we require not only to have the gospel proclaimed to us but also for God to open our ears to hear and our eyes to perceive what He unveils. In essence, He must initiate and accomplish every aspect of our spiritual journey.

Nevertheless, as I have indicated before, due to humanity's proclivity for extremes, we often either take on more than we should or undervalue God's gracious gifts. St. Paul underscores the significance of the hope we mentioned earlier by describing it as "the riches of the glory of His inheritance among the saints." While we frequently acknowledge that matters pertaining to God and our Lord Jesus Christ are lofty, we often employ this as an excuse to keep our distance. If we could evade the responsibility of understanding religious matters, we would readily remain ignorant. We display an insatiable appetite for vanity and falsehood, yet when God calls us to seek knowledge, we resist as strenuously as possible, conveniently claiming simplicity, limited understanding, and the profound and inscrutable nature of God's Word as our reasons. We may know how to utter such excuses, but in reality, it is mere pretense and hypocrisy.

In demonstration of this, individuals invariably pass judgment according to their own preconceived notions. When presented with God's Word, they respond with queries such as, "Is that so? How can it be?" They reason and question, even when it is God who is speaking. They refuse to accept God's message without offering objections. Thus, it becomes evident that their professed dullness or lack of discernment is disingenuous, for they think quite the opposite. Even those who may be considered the most ignorant and foolish among them often regard themselves as wiser than God Himself.

On the contrary, one of the reasons the gospel faces disdain is that many proud and fanciful individuals perceive it as a simplistic doctrine, lacking the complexity they crave. Thus, it is imperative for us to meditate upon what St. Paul presents here: the glorious inheritance to which God has summoned us is indescribably rich. Considering our humble origins and fallen state, and the fact that sin should have left us utterly devoid of hope, especially when we were once God's adversaries, what can we anticipate but utter destruction from His hand? Yet, it pleases Him to elevate us to a partnership with the angels of paradise, and even more astonishingly, to make us members of our Lord Jesus Christ, destined to share in His life and glory. These are treasures of unparalleled magnificence! When we contemplate these riches with all our hearts and minds, should we not be profoundly humbled? God has shown us such incomprehensible goodness. Therefore, St. Paul, seeking to rouse people from their spiritual slumber and rebuke their ingratitude, because they fail to acknowledge even a fraction of God's grace as they ought, tells us that by contemplating these truths, we should be prompted to pray for God's enlightenment. Without His divine illumination, we would never approach faith or any semblance of true knowledge.

Now, we can discern St. Paul's intended message, which he further elaborates by adding, 'what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe.' He also mentions, 'according to the working of His mighty power.' In these expressions, he essentially conveys the same profound truth. This serves as a correction for human wickedness, as people often strive to diminish the magnitude of God's goodness. When they cannot wholly obscure it, they endeavor to reduce it to a point where it appears trivial. As though God's grace were a mere spark, when it should shine brilliantly. However, it is crucial to understand that when St. Paul speaks of saints and believers, he is referring to the faithful whom God has already called. By doing so, he illustrates that even when we possess faith, all our holiness originates from God's boundless mercy, and human beings contribute nothing of their own. While the designation 'saints' is highly honorable, it is imperative to trace the source of holiness. In ourselves, we are nothing but impurity. Though God's children must be holy, they must always ponder the origin of this holiness—whether it arises from their own efforts or is bestowed as a divine gift from God. St. Paul emphatically demonstrates that all praise for it should be directed solely toward God. This is manifest in the frequent affirmations of God's own holiness. Moreover, we acknowledge that Jesus Christ sanctified Himself for our sakes, purifying us from all our impurities.

Subsequently, St. Paul addresses the root of our faith: individuals cannot attain it unless they are drawn by a secret inner compulsion. As it has been stated, we must learn from God, not merely because His Word encompasses all wisdom and faithfully imparts what is beneficial, but also because our Lord Himself explicitly affirmed, 'Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father.' He, being the very embodiment of God's wisdom, conveyed this message while simultaneously underscoring that His spoken words could only take effect when God's Spirit worked within a person's heart. Now, if Jesus Christ, who personified God's wisdom, could not effect change in people through His teachings unless God's Spirit operated within their innermost being, how can the preaching of mere mortal men have any impact? We must recognize that while men may sow the seeds of truth and offer nourishment, it is God who grants the increase, as St. Paul articulates in the third chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians.

Moreover, as previously emphasized, we must derive our entire holiness from Jesus Christ, in whom we find its fullness. Additionally, we should grasp that this declaration serves as a warning against impurity and wrongdoing. Instead, it calls us to be set apart, dedicating ourselves wholly to the service of God. Many may boast of being believers, and the term 'faith' may easily roll off the tongues of many. Nevertheless, faith holds greater significance than we might initially realize, for it purifies our hearts, as stated in the fifteenth chapter of Acts. It sets us apart, consecrating us to wholly dedicate ourselves to the service of God. This signifies that those who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ are, in a sense, drawn out from the world, as St. Peter also mentions in his First Epistle.

As mentioned earlier, we have already established that we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ in order to be set apart from this world. This aligns with His prayer in the Gospel of St. John, where He implored God the Father not to remove us from this world and its fleeting life but to shield us from the world's corrupting influences and exempt us from their grasp. Therefore, it is essential to remember that holiness is the genuine evidence of our faith. Anyone bearing the name of a Christian should be consecrated to God and should avoid entanglement in, or defilement by, the impurities and filthiness of the world. While it is true that our holiness will never attain perfection while we dwell in this world, as we constantly battle our own weaknesses, sin may not reign over us. It resides within us, and we continually strive to overcome it. Nevertheless, once God has sanctified us, we must commit ourselves to His service, endeavoring to purify ourselves increasingly from all vices, and surrendering ourselves entirely to Him so that we no longer resemble the worldly individuals who follow their own desires. This is fundamentally what St. Paul intended to convey.

Furthermore, there is no doubt that in this passage, St. Paul draws a striking comparison between those who are steeped in total ignorance or so hardened that they have no inclination to submit to the obedience of the gospel but instead vehemently oppose it, and the faithful, who are akin to poor sheep following the voice of the good shepherd. Here, St. Paul condemns all scoffers who deride God and resemble dogs or brute animals devoid of any religious sensibility. When we encounter them, they serve as mirrors that should give us pause, reminding us of what we would be like if God had not shown us mercy. Therefore, when we witness people openly ridiculing God to the point of plunging recklessly into all manner of wickedness, we should acknowledge the infinite goodness of our God in separating us from their midst. Consequently, when we observe one group stupefied in unbelief and another filled with pride, bitterness, and obstinacy against the gospel, we should understand that we would be like them if God had not reached out to us.

Now, let us pay close attention to the words St. Paul uses here: 'the exceeding greatness of His might, according to the working of His power.' It appears as if the Holy Spirit intended to strongly address the erroneous belief that has clouded the minds of people throughout history—the concept of free will. Pagans went so far as to assert that God had indeed created them to exist in the world, and it was His responsibility to grant them good fortune, as they called it. However, they believed that every individual possessed the power and free choice to pursue virtue and lead a faultless life. They divided responsibilities between God and themselves, attributing the lesser matters of life, such as our earthly existence, to God, but insisting that the attainment of heaven and virtuous self-control were within the realm of human capability.

On the other hand, both Jews and Catholics have not wholly embraced this belief, for, as mentioned earlier, they acknowledge our need for God's assistance. Nevertheless, they still maintain that we should combine some measure of our own holiness with God's grace and cooperate with it. In their view, after all considerations and allowances, the primary role is always found within ourselves.

However, let us contemplate why the Holy Spirit employs these terms—highness, power, strength, effectual working, and might. It is to demonstrate the foolishness of those who presume beyond their rightful station. Not one word here supports our boasting in even the slightest shred of goodness. If someone says, "I possess a good disposition, I have some virtue," this is what St. Paul refers to as 'highness.' It is as if he intended to convey that all the goodness we possess descends from above and has no root or origin in us; it descends from on high, as St. James suggests. If someone argues that we have the power to resist our own vices and combat temptations, St. Paul asserts that our strength, power, and might come from God, and He must bestow it upon us, and we receive it from Him. If individuals still claim they can accomplish certain things through their own efforts, St. Paul tells us that no effective work can be done, nothing can be achieved, unless God grants it, as he speaks in the second chapter of Philippians, where he explains that we should walk in fear and caution since it is God who both provides the will and the ability to act according to His good pleasure. In short, we should recognize that the terms the apostle employs here are like thunderclaps and lightning strikes, intended to annihilate and subdue all human pride. Thus, by humbling ourselves, we may glorify God as He deserves. With utmost humility, we should openly and freely confess our fault, acknowledging that all goodness emanates solely from Him, and that we are indebted to Him alone for it. Essentially, this passage teaches us to humble ourselves so profoundly that we have no desire to claim a partnership with God. We should refrain from saying that He merely aids us and that there is some portion of His grace and Holy Spirit in our free will. Instead, we should wholly and simply attribute all praise for our salvation to Him.

Moreover, this should lead us to disdain the world and find contentment in the hope of eternal life secured for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. We comprehend that although human beings often face numerous hardships, and our earthly existence is justly referred to as a vale of misery, God subjects His own children to even greater adversity because they consistently require encouragement to detach from the world. If we live here too comfortably and indulgently, we might grow complacent, even though God persistently urges us to hasten rather than linger on this earth. In summary, God will test us in various ways after calling us to faith in the gospel to prevent us from growing excessively attached to the world. If everything proceeded smoothly here, we might lose interest in serving Him, and His love would appear insignificant. Therefore, St. Paul intends to draw us nearer to God in a way that nothing obstructs us from pursuing our calling. If our desires are not always fulfilled in this world, let us learn to value the immeasurable blessings of our God more deeply so that we may declare with the spirit of David (as expressed in Psalm 16:5), "I have a beautiful inheritance." Because God has given Himself to me, I possess such an outstanding legacy that I do not fret about enduring the world's afflictions - poverty, illness, reproach, fear, and threats. All these trials shall be sweet to me as long as I possess my God, who has chosen and set me apart for Himself, intending to make me a participant in all His blessings.

So, fundamentally, we are to be encouraged and fortified in patience to bear all the afflictions and adversities of the world with meekness. We must not be distressed or irritated when God occasionally presents us with a bitter cup and gives us reason to sigh and lament. Instead, we should refrain from grumbling and complaining, assuring ourselves that God has provided us with great comfort by summoning us to partake in His kingdom. He has already demonstrated His power in us, even though it may seem insufficient to us. We should rise above all worldly matters, regarding them as beneath our feet.

However, since we do not yet perceive the fullness of God's grace as we desire, St. Paul directs our attention to our Lord Jesus Christ. Without this addition, it might be disheartening. We might wonder, "Where are these riches of God?" For we are not only deprived of the goods of this world but are also spiritually dry and barren in terms of the grace of God's Holy Spirit. If there is any portion of it within us, it is so small that we should be humbled by it. Despite this, we are weighed down by our weaknesses. If we speak of God's power, it should be victorious over all sin within us, yet we are so feeble that we are easily overcome. We should be wholly devoted to God, but the world ensnares us, and we become entangled in it.

Hence, it is crucial for the faithful not to lose heart when contemplating God's grace; instead, they should be drawn closer to Jesus Christ. St. Paul emphasizes that God showcased the magnificence of His power in raising our Lord Jesus Christ from the clutches of death. The focus on Christ's resurrection is deliberate because His death alone might appear as an act of vulnerability. In His crucifixion, there seemed to be nothing but weakness. However, by triumphing over death, Christ manifested Himself as the Son of God, the sovereign of glory and life, vested with boundless authority. St. Paul further asserts that God exalted Him to His right hand. Christ's resurrection was just the beginning; His ascension granted Him enduring dominion. His resurrection proclaimed His divinity, while His ascension ratified His sovereignty over the world, seated at the right hand of God the Father. He now sustains and guards His followers who call upon Him, wielding the power to overcome Satan, the world, and all adversaries.

Hence, St. Paul's purpose is clear. He presents Jesus Christ as the supreme exemplar through whom we can perceive what is not yet fully evident in ourselves—the immeasurable might of God, surpassing that of the entire world. Firstly, Christ was resurrected from the grave, and secondly, He occupies the position at the right hand of the Father. Mentioning God's right hand employs a human analogy. God, being infinite and spiritual, does not possess physical hands. When Christ is said to sit at God's right hand, it symbolizes His pervasive authority throughout the cosmos. Even though His physical presence is no longer with us due to His ascension into heaven, His influence remains undiminished. He permeates all things with His Holy Spirit and resides within us, nurturing us through His very essence, as affirmed in the belief that His flesh is our sustenance and His blood our nourishment.

Consequently, God's right hand is not a specific physical location where Christ is seated but signifies the dominion He has acquired over the entire universe. It is a metaphorical expression drawn from human customs, akin to when a prince appoints a vice-regent and stations them at his right side, signifying their status as second-in-command to be obeyed. Therefore, God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, demonstrates His role as our Father. Although the complete fullness of the Godhead resides in Jesus Christ, we, being limited and sluggish in comprehending God's majesty, are assured that Jesus Christ possesses supreme authority. Under His protective care, even the forces of hell cannot overcome us. Our Head, Jesus Christ, wields all power, even though we, the members, may be feeble. Thus, we need not seek His assistance far and wide, for He governs all aspects of both the heavenly and earthly realms, and we are entrusted to His loving care.

To summarize St. Paul's message here, he affirms that God has unveiled His lofty and boundless power within us. Yet, due to our perceived inadequacies and numerous imperfections, we have not yet realized our full potential, not even a fraction of it. To bolster our confidence concerning all that we require, we must recognize that these provisions are found in Jesus Christ.

Do we still confront the shadow of death? Consider that Jesus Christ has ascended to eternal life precisely because He took on mortality, so that His life could become ours. Does sin persist within us? Acknowledge that Jesus Christ is immaculate and without flaw. Are we feeble? He embodies the power of God the Father, and whatever He acquired in His humanity, taken from us, was for our benefit. In essence, all our deficiencies and needs for solace and sustenance can be found in our Lord Jesus Christ. This understanding guards us against anxiety and perplexity, as if we were excluded from the blessings elucidated by St. Paul.

In summary, this passage instructs us that though God's grace may appear limited within us, offering only a modest beginning instead of the complete abundance we yearn for, this grace grants us a foretaste and a guarantee of hope in Him. Even with a small measure of His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we recognize it as a token and earnest of the promised life. Despite the indwelling sin within our mortal bodies, we should find contentment in the fact that God benevolently bestows even a fractional portion of His Holy Spirit upon us.

Moreover, owing to our finite understanding, weaknesses, and deficiencies, we cannot entirely grasp all these truths. Therefore, we must direct our gaze toward Jesus Christ. While we may discern all perfection in Him, we remain separated from Him in terms of physical presence. In this regard, as St. Paul mentions, we are absent from Him, for we walk by faith rather than by direct sight. Nonetheless, we are integral members of His body. Just as a root cannot be detached from the tree and imparts its nourishment to all branches, we should comprehend that our Lord Jesus Christ, in His entirety, has received spiritual endowments for heavenly life, intending to gradually share them with us as our faith matures.

Nonetheless, it is imperative to recall that we should cultivate humility and recognize our inherent imperfection. We must approach God with meekness, openly acknowledging our shortcomings and dependencies. In doing so, we ought to hasten to Him, knowing that His assistance can increase with each passing day. Without His ongoing support, we would be adrift, and everything we hold dear would slip through our grasp. Thus, it becomes paramount for us to remain closely united with our Lord Jesus Christ, comprehending the unbreakable connection between Him and ourselves. He willingly embraced poverty to bestow riches upon us, and this is how His abundant blessings are communicated to us even now. Though we may not fully partake in them, having a small portion is sufficient to savor God's boundless love and trust that He will never forsake us. He has drawn near to us, taking up residence within us through His Holy Spirit, as we have witnessed in the Second Letter to the Corinthians, assuring us that He will continually fill us to the brim.

St. Paul's choice of the term 'enrich' serves as a reminder that in us, there will always exist a sense of insufficiency and need. Nevertheless, we should firmly place our trust in the promise that the One who initiated a virtuous work within us will bring it to fruition on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. This assurance grants us solace during times when life seems protracted, and we yearn for the fullness of perfection to be unveiled in us, eagerly awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. Until that glorious day, we must persist in our journey and implore God not to allow us to stumble. Undoubtedly, we will encounter moments of lack and want, but He will come to our aid in such a manner that we will discern His benevolent gaze upon us. Through this union with our Lord Jesus Christ, each of us, in accordance with our faith, shall partake in suitable blessings until we are wholly replenished, a consummation that will transpire when we are flawlessly united with Him.

And so, let us bow in humility before the majesty of our benevolent God, acknowledging our transgressions and praying that this awareness may steer us away from them. May it serve as a compass guiding us to dutifully obey His commandments, bearing witness through our deeds that He has not redeemed us at such a high cost in vain. We must renounce the desires of the flesh and consecrate ourselves wholeheartedly to His divine service, recognizing that He has unequivocally adopted us as His cherished heritage. Therefore, let our voices unite in saying, "Almighty God, our Heavenly Father."