Our Wonderful Conversion -- Ephesians 1:19

Our faith family is studying Ephesians. Ephesians 1:15-19 is an amazing passage.

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:15-23, ESV)

Paul compares our conversion, "the immeasurable greatness of his power to us who believe" to the resurrection of Christ, "he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead." Here's a few classic quotes from the church fathers to help us meditate on the power and mercy of God that he showed toward us through Christ.

"To raise us from spiritual death is an exercise of the same power that raised Christ from natural death." Oecumenious.

"The conversion of souls is more wonderful than the resurrection of the dead." Chrysostom

Luther, in reference to the parallel passage in Colossians, uses the following language:

"Faith is no such easy matter as our opposers imagine, when they say, ‘Believe, Believe, how easy is it to believe.’ Neither is it a mere human work, which I can perform for myself, but it is a divine power in the heart, by which we are new born, and whereby we are able to overcome the mighty power of the Devil and of death; as Paul says to the Colossians, ‘In whom ye are raised up again through the faith which God works."’ (Charles Hodge commenting on Ephesians 1:19 who quotes Luther commenting on Colossians).

Here's the parallel passage in Colossians.

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,(Colossians 1:19-22)