Paul uses three verbs with a prefix which means “with” to describe the reality of every believer’s status in Christ: made alive together, raised together, and seated together. This teaching about our union with Christ is to reassure us that those who have been rescued by God from their condition of spiritual death are beneficiaries of Christ’s resurrection and exaltation to the right hand of God. This is not a subjective, mystical experience but a secure promise about our present status and certainty of future glory. What is certain is the forgiveness of sins and the fact that we are no longer subject to the hostile, spiritual powers. Paul says that as the eternal ages unfold, God’s wealth of grace will be forever on display. The terminology in Ephesians 2:7 is reminiscent of what God said to Pharaoh in Exodus 9:16 where God’s name was to be proclaimed throughout the earth when Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt were defeated and God’s people went out free. We discuss how seeking things above does not mean having mystical experiences or false claims of trips to heaven. It means that we believe God’s promises as we hope in Christ and live as those alive from the dead. We warn against over-realized eschatology where people claim to have now what will not be true until the resurrection at the end of the age.

Sermon handout and slides available under the Downloads tab.