IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS (Ephesians 2:4-6)

IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6)

Verse 4: Mercy … love - Salvation is for God’s glory by putting on display His boundless mercy and love for those who are spiritually dead because of their sinfulness.

Verse 5: When we were dead … made us alive - Far more than anything else, a spiritually dead person needs to be made alive by God. Salvation brings spiritual life to the dead. The power that raises believers out of death and makes them alive (Romans 6:1–7) is the same power that energizes every aspect of Christian living (Romans 6:11–13).

Verse 6: Raised us up together, and made us sit together - The tense of “raised” and “sit” indicates that these are immediate and direct results of salvation. Not only is the believer dead to sin and alive to righteousness through Christ’s resurrection, but he also enjoys his Lord’s exaltation and shares in His preeminent glory.

 In the heavenly places - The supernatural realm where God reigns. In Ephesians 3:10 and 6:12, however, it also refers to the supernatural sphere where Satan temporarily rules. This spiritual realm is where believers’ blessings are (Ephesians 1:3), their inheritance is (1 Peter 1:4), their affections should be (Colossians 3:3), and where they enjoy fellowship with the Lord. It is the realm from which all divine revelation has come and where all praise and petitions go.