The words the apostle uses--_gave us life_--_raised us up_--_seated us in the heavenly places_--embrace the whole range of salvation. “Those united with Christ are through grace delivered from their state of death, not only in the sense that the resurrection and exaltation of Christ redound to their benefit as Divinely imputed to them; but by the life-giving energy of God they are brought out of their condition of death into a new and actual state of life. The act of grace is an act of the Divine power and might, not a mere judicial declaration” (Beck). This comprehensive action of the Divine grace upon believing men takes place by a constant and constantly deepening union of the soul with Christ. This is well expressed by A. Monod: “The entire history of the Son of man is reproduced in the man who believes in Him, not by a simple moral analogy, but by a spiritual communication which is the true secret of our justification as well as of our sanctification, and indeed of our whole salvation.” There is no repetition in the three verbs employed, which are alike extended by the Greek preposition _with_ (_syn_). The first sentence (raised us up _with the Christ_) virtually includes everything; it shows us one with Christ who lives evermore to God. The second sentence gathers into its scope all believers--the _you_ of verse 1 and the _we_ of verse 3: “He raised us up together, and together made us sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Nothing is more characteristic of our epistle than this turn of thought. To the conception of our _union with Christ_ in His celestial life, it adds that of our _union with each other in Christ_ as sharers in common of that life. Christ “reconciles us in one body unto God” (ver. 16). We sit not alone, but together in the heavenly places. This is the fulness of life; this completes our salvation. FOOTNOTES: [74] For the antithesis of “you” and “we,” comp. vv. 11-18, ch. i, 12, 13; also Rom. iii. 19, 23 (_For there is no distinction_), Gal. ii. 15. [75] Ποιοῦντες τὰ θελήματα τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ τῶν διανοιῶν (ver. 3). [76] Perhaps this double rendering may bring out the force of κατὰ τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου. [77] In the posthumous _Erklärung des Briefes Pauli an die Epheser_--a valuable exposition, marked by Beck’s theological acumen and lucidity. [78] The φύσει of verse 3 thus corresponds to the ἐξουσία τοῦ ἀέρος of verse 2. “Sin entered into _the world_” (κόσμος), Rom. v. 12, which signifies more than the nature of individual men. [79] I John iii. 8; comp. John viii. 41-44. CHAPTER VIII. _SAVED FOR AN END._