There may not be a better summary of salvation than the first 10 verses of Ephesians 2. It presents the spiritual history of humanity as a whole as well as of each of us individually. We were dead. Blind followers of our own cravings. Worthy of wrath. But God, “rich in mercy,” did something about our predicament, raised us up into new life, and seated us with His Son in another realm. He rescued us from horrific disaster into unimaginable delight. It’s the ultimate rags-to-riches story.
Why is this story important to remember and rehearse? Because if we don’t understand sin, we can’t understand grace. The orphan drawn from the gutter and put in the mansion appreciates her rescue precisely because she remembers the filth. She’s forever grateful because she knows where she came from.
Know where you came from. Don’t dwell there, by any means; celebrate even more where you’ve been placed. But let the mercy of God sink in, then fully live in your new role. Enjoy the mansion and freely welcome others into it.
