But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7 ESV)

Oh, to be back in Eden. If everything was just right and Adam and Eve had never fallen, what a wonderful world we would live in. As we look back upon the goodness that was Eden, we often fall prey to seeing things the way we think they should have been, instead of the glorious reality of the way things are.

Would you say you have a better life than Adam and Eve? Many of us would say not. We see that our earth and lives are effected by the curse of sin and we wish it had never happened. Because of sin God had a plan to make a way for the world and mankind to be restored. But is our life a better life than theirs?

Well first of all many followers of Christ think that they are just “saved”. But is that really all we are? Isn’t there more? Yes.  And since there is, what is it? To have the best understanding of the amazing grace we’ve been given, we must remember that apart from Christ there is no life for anyone. We were dead walking beings and lifeless without Christ.

Then we encounter God. He is a Rich God. Rich in mercy. He is more abundant than we could ever imagine. He is so rich that He has enough mercy for the whole world over. We do not appreciate the riches we have in Christ and as a result, much of our spiritual lives is spent in the cheap seats, when luxury is what God intended. Not a material luxury, but a spiritual reality so lavish, that only an immeasurable and almighty God could provide. A depth of mercy that can only begin to be fathomed when measured against the black backdrop of our utter depravity compared to the brilliant glory of a rich God.

As we fix our minds on the riches of God, we begin to wonder why. Why did he give us His riches? Because He loved us greatly. Recently, I had the opportunity to show my wife love. She hates mornings and I know that. So I decided one morning to arrange my schedule so I could get the kids on the bus. Later that day she put her arms around me and asked why I love her so much. And I realized that if this one simple act can send a message of love, how much more so should God’s amazing gift in Christ drive us to wrap our hearts around Him and rest and realize His gigantic, humongous, enormous, massive love for us?

But how great a love, how do we know it? Because he made corpses into living beings. He made us alive and gave us life.And not just ordinary life. True life. A life where He promises no tricks. God promises deep satisfaction in the life-giver, Jesus Christ. He promises a life that no goods or money can buy. A life opposite of the world. The world says stuff, Jesus says sell. The world says self, Jesus says others. And as the world grows deeper into depression and misery, God says He has come to give abundant life. A overflowing life. But is that it? Did He just make us alive again like Adam and Eve? Who would never taste death? NO!

Our Rich God, who great love for us, not only made us alive, but raised us up and seated us with Christ! He is a generous God! But how generous? If you think  about the promises and gifts that God gives to those who believe and trust in Him, you will find that God has given us more than He gave Adam and Eve. Sure Adam and Eve got to walk and talk with God. But we have the Holy Spirit with us always. And the Spirit prays when we can’t and speaks things for us we would never think to speak! We have been given the promise of being seated with Christ! We are promised crowns and thrones. And now we are his temple permanently indwelt by God himself! We are even called co-heirs with Jesus Christ. God is so generous that because we have failed He gave us more. He didn’t just restore us to our Eden condition, HE GAVE WAY MORE!!! Because of our failure God made a better way. A way paved and paid by His son Jesus Christ! Can you fathom a God so generous that when we fail He not only succeeds but exceeds!

God does all of this to show us His immeasurable riches forever. We often view heaven a prolonged church service. But that is not what God says. Imagine an eternity that was filled with a generous and rich Father showed and shared His riches with all people. And He doesn’t do this because He is showing off, He is doing it because He is kind. And for all of eternity believers get to experience the riches of God over and over. God’s riches are so vast that it will take eternity to see Him and His riches. God is an extravagant God who simply wants to place you in high places and show you His depth of love, mercy and grace in His son Jesus Christ towards anyone that will live in Him. When you think of your “saved” condition, maybe it is time to think of it as a “rich, greatly loved, made alive, raised and seated with Christ salvation, that will see all the riches of grace” salvation!