In verse 7 of Ephesians 2, we find the designed reason that God has saved His people. The words, “He might show” translate a Greek verb suggesting to display or exhibit. In the New Testament this verb is always in the middle voice meaning “to show for oneself.” In the eternal life of His people, God purposed to place the exceeding riches of His grace on exhibition. Thus believers can be considered trophies of God’s grace, created in Christ Jesus, to display that grace now – in this life – and forever. The lavish kindness of God displayed in Christ toward an undeserving people is the best manner in which God fulfills His ultimate purpose to display His glory. It’s a win-win scenario – human blessing and God’s glory are in perfect accord.
Further, we see that this display of grace will be for “the ages to come.” This has been understood in one of two ways. First, it refers to the future generations between Paul’s writing until the second coming of Christ. Every generation can look back to God’s grace and mercy in saving a remnant before them – and so can have hope that God is indeed mighty to save. But then, beyond this earth, “ages to come” describes the future of believers in eternity with Christ. God’s utmost end in the salvation of His people is not fully attained until we come to this. The Gospel reveals infinite grace to us, but there is, in the realm of our experience, an aspect of grace which is reserved for eternity, which we cannot fully comprehend now – one in which the present blessings, as great as they are, are only preparative. The effect of grace in our lives will shine out of God’s display cabinet for all eternity, and you are beneficiary of it!
