Eternity Daily Bible Study No. 236

Life In Christ –  14

THE  GOSPEL OF THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST

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Ephesians 3:7-13
(7)  Of this gospel I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effectual working of His power.
(8)  This grace is given to me (who am less than the least of all saints) to preach the gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ among the nations,
(9)  and to bring to light what is the fellowship of the mystery which from eternity has been hidden in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ;
(10)  so that now to the rulers and powers in the heavenlies might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
(11)  according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord;
(12)  in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through His faith.
(13)  For this reason I desire that you faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

The gospel starts out in the New Testament as “the gospel of the Kingdom” (Matthew 4:23, 9:35,  24:14)  in Mark it becomes the “gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God” (Mark 1:1) in Acts 5:42 it is “the gospel of Jesus the Christ” emphasizing the anointing on the early church,  as the Gentiles become incorporated with Cornelius it becomes “the gospel of peace” (Acts 10:36), this term is also used in Ephesians to emphasize the peace between Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 6:15). 

 In Acts 11 it is called the gospel of the Lord Jesus (Acts 11:20), and towards the end of his ministry as he addresses the Ephesian elders Paul calls it “the gospel of the grace of God”.  In Romans 1:1 the term “the gospel of God” is introduced – that is the good news that has God as its source. This becomes a frequent NT term (Romans 1:1, 15:16, 2 Corinthians 11:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:2,8,9 ; 1 Peter 4:17) along with the term “gospel of Christ” which tends to be used when anointing, authority or miracles and in view (Romans 1:16, 15:19,29; 1 Corinthians 9:12,18; 2 Corinthians 2:12, 9:13, 10:14, Galatians 1:7, Philippians 1:27, 1 Thessalonians 3:2). 

In Romans 10:15 we have “the gospel of peace” and again in Romans 10:15 “the gospel of good things” and in 2 Corinthians 4:4 we have the “gospel of the glory of Christ” which emphasizes our transformation into the image of Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 1:13 it is called “the gospel of your salvation”.  In 1Thessalonians 1:8 the gospel “of the Lord Jesus Christ” emphasizes His lordship and power and contains a stern proclamation of judgment in flaming fire for the enemies of God.  And in  1 Timothy 1:11 it is called “the gospel of the glory of the blessed God” which brings out the blessedness of the gospel verses the Jewish Law.

But today we will look at “the gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ”, which I must quickly add, is the same gospel as those mentioned above, because there is only one gospel (Galatians 1:6-8), though it has many aspects to it. 

The Greek for preach the gospel is “euaggelisasthai” (the double g is pronounced “ng”) and means “to announce good news”. Many translations have “preach” which is slightly wrong as it does not imply good news and would be “kerussw” (w = long o or omega). This is announcing a wonder, proclaiming something very good. And what is the wonder? “The unsearchable riches of Christ”. The word for riches here is ploutos as in “ploutocrat” as in vast wealth.  In normal usage it is a financial term for a the fullness of wealth or an endowment.

The gospel of grace, of peace and of salvation is also a gospel of spiritual wealth.  We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:3) and filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19). The gospel gives us a great inner wealth, that is past finding out and which “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the mind of man” (1 Corinthians 2:9).  In eternity we will be immeasurably wealthy because of what Christ has done for us. We shall walk on streets of gold and enjoy the presence and fellowship of God.

We are not just rescued, we are blessed, we do not just go from negative to zero, we also become wealthy with the treasures of Heaven. God does this to demonstrate the depth an complexity of His “manifold wisdom” to the powers and principalities in the heavenly realms. God will prove that He is good, by the way He blesses us. 
Ephesians 3:10 “so that now to the rulers and powers in the heavenlies might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,”

The Church is God’s grand proving ground, in it He displays His grace, His forgiveness, His blessings and His wisdom. And the audience is the vast array of powers and principalities in the heavenly realms. You and I and the church you worship in is on display to the angels! Throughout the ages heavenly beings will marvel at what God has done for us (Ephesians 2;7, 3:10).

The gospel is not just about being saved, and going to heaven when we die. In fact that is only 10% of it!  It is our life beyond that – our life in the ages to come and the blessings we will know in God, which is uppermost.   In ten thousand years time you will be a being of vast spiritual grandeur, thoroughly familiar with the courts of Heaven and reigning with Christ over a territory that he has given you. You will not stop growing as a person, but over the ages will become a God-like being resonant with glory, an immortal spiritual being of great holiness and authority. You will be a son of God.

The gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ is a gospel of hope in what God will do for us. It tells us that throwing away a million dollars, or a billion, to gain Christ - is a good bargain.

God is worth more than the things we cling to.  As someone once said “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”.  We cannot keep our life, our money, our power or our possessions. These are worth sacrificing to gain the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Is God calling you to something that seems a sacrifice? Then remember the unsearchable riches of Christ and move on. Treasure in heaven awaits you.

Blessings,

John Edmiston <johned@aibi.ph>

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