Take Up Grace Thinking Today

"In whom we have redemption (Gk. Apolutrosin, to release from bondage after payment of ransom), through the blood of him, the forgiveness of the sins ( Gk. Paraptomaton, to willfully overstep a boundary), according to the riches of the Grace of Him."(Eph. 1:7

I recently had the opportunity to speak with an individual well versed in mental health issues.  It was his candid observation that the current mental health model is to medicate symptoms.  In no way was he being dismissive of pharmaco-therapy for patients, but he was stating that a spiritual component was greatly lacking within their treatment plans.

A holistic approach to patient care seeks to resolve this vital problem that is essential to a sense of well-being.  Research has shown that persons who are connected to a spiritual community have greater and more lasting recovery from adversity, and therefore the ability to persevere when faced with difficulties.

Within the mental health community the ability to face difficult trails in life and rebound from them is called resilience.  Resilience must be a deep character trait in this life because this life is filled with adversity and difficulty.

The verses given above were written by Paul centuries ago to the called out ones in the great city of Ephesus. These verses are part of a whole therefore one cannot rent them from their context without missing their importance within the body of reveal truth herein taught by Paul.

First of all, the phrase "In whom" is a preposition that is frequently used by Paul in this chapter.  Paul also uses the phrase "In Him" in this chapter too.  "In Whom" and "In Him" represent a boundary and a sphere.

As in all of the Pauline writings God (Theos), and Jesus (Iesou), are the subject, and the called out ones are the objects of divine Grace.  That is, the called out ones receive the action of the verbs related to God on behalf  of the believing ones.

God's actions are powerful realities that occur within the sphere of the Iesou.  God's actions are completed on behalf of the called out ones in the perfect tense.  That is, the results of God's actions have ongoing results that never grow weak or ineffective with time.  In fact the "In Whom" or the "In Him" prepositional phrases are of deep significance because the preposition 'in' in the Greek Text is the word 'en' and it means within the 'sphere of' and it is also a preposition of 'rest.'

Paul lets the called out ones know that it is from the sphere of rest in Iesous that they have received the redemption or release from the hard taskmaster of formidable enslavement to sin.

The action of God through the Iesou has done the impossible thing.  God is in the business of doing the impossible thing.  It is within the sphere that we come to realize that with God the impossible thing is possible.

Also, notice in this verse, we have the forgiveness of sins.  God has sent off from us our sins.  That is, our actions that deserve judgement (Gk. Krisis), but we have received His forgiveness.  Let me also state that God knows that we judge ourselves in a harsh manner too.  We place ourselves in krisis because we feel it is where we belong.  This is a personal hell that is not found within the sphere of Iesou.  'In Him' we have rest from the power of sentencing ourselves as unworthy or worthless.

Look at your life now and celebrate what He has done in your life.  Remember where you came from, and what you were doing?  Remember the emptiness and lost feelings that controlled your deep and real existential  angst?  Remember when God rescued you from you and how you saw you through the action of realized Grace?

When you start to grow weary and feel weak God's Grace prescription is to revisit the deep reality of the Redemption.  Claim the reality of Redemption daily.  Keep your eyes fixed on the Iesou and his peace and you will revive your heart.

Today, beloved, claim by  faith the reality of God's release from the power of the past and claim your rest in Iesou.  By faith, you can, claim what is rightfully your inheritance through Grace.  Change your life today by faith.  Boldly claim the riches of His Grace.  Confess with your mouth the work of Grace on your behalf until that part of your brain that is steeped in self-rejection is reprogrammed with Grace thinking.  I implore you to take up Grace thinking today.

For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow this blog and visit his website.