Gospel Community

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he is beside himself with joy to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ (Eph 3:8). By the phrase “unsearchable riches,” Paul means two things. First, he is overjoyed to proclaim the person and work of Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, was buried, and rose again (Rom 15:18; 1 Cor 15:3–4). Everything Paul ever accomplished, anything he ever achieved, every possession he had or ever desired was eclipsed by the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus (Phil 3:8). Paul saw Christ, and everything else lost its luster. He grew in Christ, and everything else grew dim. The more he stared at the spotless beauty of Jesus, the more he saw the dim shadows of his earthly treasures—such that he willfully forfeited everything else for the sake of knowing and growing in Christ. All that Paul previously valued became insignificant in the light of Christ. Paul’s greatest joy became presenting and proclaiming Jesus (Eph 3:2, 7–8; Gal 2:7–9), the treasure of Heaven that does not fail (Matt 13:44; Luke 12:33). While Paul is overjoyed to proclaim Jesus, he is secondarily overjoyed to proclaim the never-ending, unsearchable riches that come to those who are in Christ Jesus. That is why Paul is relentless with the phrases “in him” or “in Christ” in the first chapter of Ephesians. Paul says that in Jesus we are given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph 1:3). Just read some of the many blessings we receive in Christ: adoption as sons, his glorious grace, redemption, the forgiveness of sins, knowledge of God’s will, union vertically to God with others and within ourselves, an inheritance, the seal and guarantee of the Holy Spirit, a surpassing eternal hope, gospel community among the saints, and God’s immeasurable resurrection power on our behalf. In other words, Jesus is the treasure, and along with union to him comes an unsearchable, endless inheritance. Ephesians 1 is just the tip of the iceberg, and each blessing Paul lists is another snowflake on that iceberg worthy of a lifetime of study. For this reason, Paul prays that the Holy Spirit would give the church in Ephesus, and us, wisdom to understand, revelation to see, hearts awakened to feel, and minds opened to know all of the unsearchable, immeasurable, surpassing riches in Christ. (Eph 1:17–19). This series is devoted to the study of those riches. Each topic, whether it be Gospel Community, Gospel Peace, Gospel Marriage, or Gospel Identity, is a meditation on one of the endless rare jewels that come with life in Christ. Like a miner examining each stone, a botanist examining each leaf, or a meteorologist examining each raindrop, these meditations explore the individual diamonds of the Christian life. God’s greatness, endurance, understanding, ways, and wisdom are unsearchable (Ps 145:3; Is 40:28; Ps 147:5; Job 5:9; Rom 11:33). So are the riches of Jesus. The Greek word for unsearchable means the riches of Christ are fathomless or bottomless. Their depths cannot be fully explored or discovered. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. It simply indicates how great, wonderful, immeasurable, and beautiful Jesus is and how endless and amazing his blessings are. They are unsearchable in quantity and quality. And each one, when explored, lifts our eyes to a God too wonderful to articulate. No wonder Paul breaks out in song in Romans 11 when recounting the wonder of God’s grace! “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rom 11:33).