1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called – Eph. 4:1
The Ephesians had been called to the faith of Christ, and so their way of life had to correspond to that calling. For that to happen it was necessary for them to consider what the calling was to which they had been called, who had called them, how he had called them and for what purpose. Without working all that out they would not be able to walk in a way that would be worthy of their calling. They had been called when they were still walking in sin, indeed they were dead in sin, cut off from Christ, from the fellowship of the saints and from God himself. Paul wanted the Ephesians to remember that, as he said to them in chapter 2, “Therefore remember that you were once Gentiles; at that time you were without Christ.” Recalling their former lostness and pagan way of life was an easy way to remind them that after they had been called by grace they were expected to live in a different way from the one they had lived in before.
~Wolfgang Musculus~
Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Galatians, Ephesians (Downers Grove, IL; IVP Academic; 2012) p. 241.
The Old Guys 
Wolfgang Musculus – Like the Waters of a Gushing Fountain
11 Mar[4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved – Eph. 2:4-5
The riches of God that Paul refers to when he says that God is rich in mercy are wonderful and divine. In this world a rich person uses his wealth for his own good and comfort. Even if he gives some of it away to help others, he uses most of it for his own benefit. In contrast, the kind of wealth in which God is rich in mercy is not intended for his benefit but for ours. Mercy cannot benefit him in any way because he is not miserable, unhappy or in trouble and therefore does not need it. All the wealth that makes him rich in mercy is used up outside himself and flows into us rather like the waters of a gushing fountain. Such riches reflect the divine nature, whose attribute is always to have mercy and to pardon. In the world nobody gets rich by showing pity, giving, contributing and donating, but only by obtaining things. That is what the riches of this world are like. Let us therefore leave them to the children of this world and let ourselves be rich in mercy, following the example of our Father in heaven.
~Wolfgang Musculus~
Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Galatians, Ephesians (Downers Grove, IL; IVP Academic; 2012) p. 281-282.
Other Musculus Quotes at the Old Guys
Tags: Reformation Commentary on Scripture, Wolfgang Musculus