In Ephesians 2 Paul says, “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, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” This means that salvation is being raised up (just like Jesus) and being seated in heavenly places (just like Jesus). You have been raised up and you have been seated here at the table of the Lord. How do we know that this is what Paul is talking about? Because Paul goes on to explain to the Gentiles in Ephesus that they have been brought near by the blood of Christ (2:13), and it is through Christ that we have access by one Spirit to the Father (2:18). “Drawing near” and “access” to the Father are loaded terms that recall all of the sacrifices and offerings of the Old Covenant tabernacle and temple. One of the mind blowing things about this is that in the Old Covenant only special priests could go into the presence of God, but even when they went into the presence of God to offer sacrifices, they could never sit down. They were always on their feet. But now in the New Covenant not only have we all been given access by the blood of Jesus, but we have been invited into the presence of God and invited to sit. We are invited to sit like friends of God, invited to sit like King Jesus, as though we are royalty, as though we are rulers: because we are. Paul goes on to say that we are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. This is what it means to “be saved.” It means to know that you are forgiven in Jesus. It means that he has raised you up, cleansed you, and seated you in his presence to be part of his family. This is salvation. So come eat, drink, and rejoice with one another.
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