An Encouragement from Ephesians 2

The book of Ephesians is full of encouraging words and truths about God. One of my favorites is found in 2:6 – “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” That passage is bookended by the exact same phrase – “It is by grace you have been saved.”

Paul doesn’t say that being seated with Christ in heavenly realms is a future occurrance. He says it is a present reality. Sometimes I wonder if the raising up in this verse is talking about our baptism. In Romans 6:1-6 Paul talks about being raised out of the waters of baptism where we are connected with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection symbolized by going into and coming out of the waters of baptism. I don’t know how God does it or when he does what but I do know that if you are a Christian, you are “seated with God in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” That is good news. No matter what comes your way – hardship, difficulty, disaster, death – there is nothing that can really harm us because we know where we live – we live with God in Christ. I hope that offers you some encouragement today.