In this series on Ephesians, we learn that Paul had a spiritual blessing in mind for the church (Ephesians 1:3). Spiritual means, among other things: not visible, not tangible. If you want to see, feel, touch and experience something, you probably don’t enjoy purely spiritual things. They are not concrete in themselves. They only become concrete when spiritual things have an impact on our lives.

Spiritual or spiritual?

There is a notable difference between “spiritual” and “spiritual”. Many people cultivate a spirituality. Many people deeply understand that there is more to this world than immediate physical needs. This “more” is part of our humanity. Spirituality appears to be the answer, the fulfillment, this “more”. I interpret this as the human search for meaning, which is expressed in rituals and habits. Spirituality belongs to people, but is it also spiritual, as Paul talks about it?

When Paul writes that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing, he also states that God first blessed us with it (Eph 1:3). God is spirit, John wrote, and therefore we should worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). The fact that God is essentially spirit, i.e. not visible, is an indication of the nature of mediation. God does not bless visibly, even if some preachers like to insist on special effects.

Spiritual blessing is naturally that which comes from God. It is his spirit that bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Rom 8:16). God’s spirit speaks to our spirit, if we want to imagine it. It is all “immaterial”, not tangible, but no less real for that.

Spirituality is what people want. Spiritual blessing, on the other hand, is that which comes from God. Spirituality should not be dismissed as “unspiritual”, but recognized for what it is. It is the person who wants to do and experience good and recognizes that there is an additional dimension to life that wants to be perceived. It’s not just about “sex and drugs and rock and roll” (compare how John describes it in 1 John 2:16). That is why spirituality is practiced in all religions. Spirituality is an expression and should be honored as such. Spiritual blessing, on the other hand, is something else. It is Paul who writes to the churches that God, who is the Spirit, blesses us “with every spiritual blessing”. The sources of spirituality and what is spiritual are different. Spirituality is based on man’s seeking (cf. Ecclesiastes 3:11), while spiritual blessing comes as a gift from God.

However, this is no excuse for condemning one over the other. Spirituality is not “evil”, as I have heard again and again among evangelicals, but simply something else. The difference is important, but: black and white thinking is not spiritual or out of grace, but has more to do with the “works of the flesh” (Gal 5:19-20).

The riches of God’s grace

Paul writes the following words in Ephesians:

“In (Him, Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses, according to the riches of His grace which He causes to overflow in us.”
Rom 1:7-8

In the first chapter of Ephesians, Paul describes what we have “in Christ”. We are blessed “in Him”. So in Christ we also have “redemption through His blood, namely the forgiveness of offenses”. We have this “in Him”, not as our own achievement and “in us”. Spiritual blessing is the good news that God has realized in Christ what good things He has planned for us. God himself realizes this and gives it to us. Those who experience this can respond with faith. It is according to the riches of His grace that He allows to overflow in us.

We have riches “in Christ”. But that is not all. This wealth flows “into us”. This is the result. What flows, flows between two points. It begins in Christ, but flows over into us. That is one direction. What is spiritual becomes visible in or through us. Not as a task, but as God’s effect (Eph 2:8-10). Note that Paul writes: “Which He causes to overflow in us”.

What overflows denotes abundance, security and wealth (compare Psalm 23:5). It is the ” riches of His grace that He lets overflow in us”. All this comes from God, who blesses us with it “in Christ”. Paul outlines here how we are placed in the reality of God.

• We may not feel that in our lives.
• We may not be healthy.
• We may not achieve everything we could imagine.
• We are not living on a rose-colored cloud either.

But we can consider ourselves “blessed in Christ” and thereby recognize the “riches of His grace”. This now brings about a spiritual abundance in our lives. Abundance is exactly that: we have received too much of it and it overflows. That would be the normal thing to do. This happens when it is “too much”. Abundance does not remain beautifully hidden within us, as if it were a small treasure to be defended. Rather, grace is greater than what we ourselves need. It overflows and is allowed to overflow. That is precisely the meaning of grace.

Overflow, how does that work?

It’s great to hear about overflowing grace. But how does that work in my life? We can look it up again in Paul’s letters. He writes, for example:

“As beloved children, become imitators of God and walk in love, just as Christ also loves you and gave himself up for us as an offering and sacrifice to God, a fragrant aroma.”
Eph 5:1 ff

“Let your word always be with grace and seasoned with salt, knowing how you should answer each one.”
Col 4:6

grace educates (Titus 2:11-12). Those who live in grace will make daily decisions, sometimes better, sometimes less good, that are in accordance with grace. Grace towards yourself, grace towards others.

This is what Paul advocates in the first chapter of Ephesians: If only we can realize what the riches of grace mean.