Theology that Leads to Doxology

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

The apostle Paul, carried along by the Holy Spirit, dictates a letter addressed to the church in Ephesus but also to every believer in the Church universal. Paul ends the first half of the letter reminding them who they are in Christ Jesus, that they were dead in their trespasses, without hope and without God. But God has made them alive by grace and reconciled, redeemed, and adopted them. Now the believers in Ephesus have union with God the Father, through the Son, and by the Spirit.  

Paul ends this section in a doxology of praise that starts with “now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.” The Lord transformed Paul, who was previously ravaging the church, to be His mouthpiece. He can use us as well, in any manner He chooses, to proclaim His gospel of grace.

The Lord is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think. The truth is the sovereign God who has ruled for all eternity also desires for His people to call out to Him in prayer and praise. Our requests, alongside our praises, need to be bold in asking how we might be useful for His kingdom. “Ah, to be useful! Delight thyself in the Lord, thou shalt have thy desire.  You may not be useful in the sphere you aspire to, but you shall be useful as God would have you useful in His own way and in His own measure.” (C. H. Spurgeon.)¹ 

We have no sufficient language to ascribe “to Him be the glory.” Every majestic mountain, every beautiful sunset, and every moving piece of music is just an inkling of the that is due his name. Romans 11:33–36 says “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?” For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.”

The Lord has given the Church His ordinary means of grace: His Word preached and read, prayer, and the sacraments. The Godhead has also given us fellowship with Him and each other to encourage us and build up one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Every time we meet with fellow believers, we need to encourage each other to sing His praises, because this life is just a dress rehearsal for what we will be doing for all eternity. As Tim Keller notes, “The psalmist tells us that it is “fitting … to praise Him” (Ps 33:1; 147:1). It fits to glorify God—it not only fits reality, because God is infinitely and supremely praiseworthy, but it fits us as nothing else does. All the beauty we have looked for in art or faces or places—and all the love we have looked for in the arms of other people—is only fully present in God Himself. And so in every action by which we treat Him as glorious as He is, whether through prayer, singing, trusting, obeying, or hoping, we are at once giving God His due and fulfilling our own design.”² 

As Sinclair Ferguson writes in his book The Christian Life, “Concentration on what the Christian is in himself leads to despair. The eyes must be raised to God and what He has done for us and continues to do in His children.” As I look around the body of PCPC, I am encouraged as we walk through the things of the fallen world (wayward children, disease, death and despair) our steadfast God is caring us by his mighty right hand. 

 “When we’ve been there ten thousand years bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun.” - John Newton  

 

 

END NOTES:

    1. Exell, J.S. (1909) The Biblical Illustrator: The Psalms. New York; Chicago; Toronto; London; Edinburgh: Fleming H. Revell Company; Francis Griffiths (The Biblical Illustrator), p. 236.

    2. Keller, T. (2013) Walking with God through Pain and Suffering. New York: Dutton, p. 168.