A God-centered salvation

One thing I have been doing the last couple of days as I have read Ephesians 1-2 is noting all the “him’s” and “his’es” that are there, and really thinking through, “Who is this talking about, the Father, the Son, the Spirit, or God in Trinity?”

Sometimes it’s a little hard to tell. For example, in chapter one, three times Paul uses the phrase “to the praise of his glorious grace” or “to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14).

In the first, it’s certainly talking about the Father.

In the second, it’s probably talking about the Father, but you could see how it could also be talking about the Son.

In the third, it’s talking about the Spirit’s work, with no apparent reference to the Father, but with a definite reference to the Son in verse 13.

But with verses 6 and 12 referring to the glory of the Father, it’s hard to say that Paul isn’t thinking about the Father’s glory here too.

All that said, I think it would be safe to say that our salvation is to the glory of God in Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

And that I think is my main point for today. I really encourage you to take the time to highlight each reference to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (including the “his’es and “him’s) in these two chapters.

You’ll be stunned to see how they permeate Ephesians 1 and 2.

Read Paul’s words and think about how each person in the Trinity is involved in our salvation.

And when you do, I think you’ll start to appreciate the power of Ephesians 2:8-9 even more.

For you are saved by grace, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is God’s gift–not from works, so that no one can boast.

So as we meditate on these two chapters, let us praise God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for his glorious grace which he has granted to us.