“That you … may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”

Ephesians 3:17-19.

As we saw in the first post, the Apostle Paul’s prayer for believers in Ephesians 3:18 prompts us to comprehend the dimensions of God’s love – the breadth, the depth, and the height. Having explored the ‘length’ of God’s love in the previous article, which signifies the eternal nature of it, we now delve into the other three dimensions that further illuminate the complexity and enormity of His love.

The ‘breadth‘ of God’s love represents its extensive reach. God’s love is not reserved for a select few; instead, it encompasses all of humanity. Revelation 7:9-10 paints a vivid image of the immense multitude from every nation and language who have been recipients of God’s love. His love is not confined by geographical borders, cultural differences, or historical eras; it reaches out to everyone, everywhere:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Revelation 7:9-10

Even today, here and now, God still is inviting people everywhere to come and be a part of His family. In John’s vision in Revelation quoted above, the great multitude represented people who had washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. This represents the great exchange that happens when we place faith in Jesus Christ: He exchanges our sins for His righteousness, typified by white robes. If you have yet to experience this transforming power of the blood of Jesus, I invite you to invite him into your life today. He stands ready to wash away all your sins and clothe you in His righteousness like this holy choir that John the revelator describes.

The ‘depth‘ of God’s love is reflected in the lengths that Jesus Christ went to demonstrate His love for us. The Apostle Paul, in Philippians 2:5-8, illustrates Christ’s humility and sacrifice, from setting aside His divine grandeur and putting on humble humanity, to experiencing a criminal’s death on a Roman cross:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6. who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7. but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

(Philippians 2:5-8).

When C. S. Lewis contemplated the miracle of the incarnation, he wrote:

“In the Christian story God descends to reascend. He comes down; down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity; … But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world with Him. One has the picture of a strong man stooping lower and lower to get himself underneath some great complicated burden. He must stoop in order to lift, he must almost disappear under the load before he incredibly straightens his back and marches off with the whole mass swaying on his shoulders. Or one may think of a diver, first reducing himself to nakedness, then glancing in mid-air, then gone with a splash, vanished, rushing down through the green and warm water into black and cold water, down through increasing pressure into the death-like region of ooze and slime and old decay; then up again, back to colour and light, his lungs almost bursting, till suddenly he breaks surface again, holding in his hand the dripping, precious thing that he went down to recover.”

Lewis beautifully captures how the King of Glory stoops low, stepping down from eternity into time, just to draw us up with Him to sit with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). Isaiah 53:2-5 further illustrates the profound depths of this love, as Jesus bore our iniquities, suffered, and died to offer us redemption.

Lastly, the ‘height‘ of God’s love indicates the transformative power of His love. We, once sinful and estranged, are now adopted as His children, seated in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). We have become fellow heirs with Christ, raised from the miry pits of sin (Romans 8:17). As 1 Samuel 2:8 (cf. Psalm 113:7-8) declares, God “raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes…“

Exploring the breadth, depth, and height of God’s love offers us a profound perspective on His character and His relationship with us. The vast reach of His love, demonstrated in the breadth, invites us to pursue His heart for our world, and to be unrelenting in our efforts to share the good news of His love to a world that is lost, broken and hurting, and in desperate need of salvation.

The depth of God’s love, mirrored in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, calls us to a deeper understanding and appreciation of His grace. It is in the depth of this love that we find forgiveness, redemption, and the promise of eternal life.

The height of God’s love, finally, symbolises the transformative power of His love. We are elevated from our sinful nature to become His children, who are adopted into His family and are filled with His Spirit (1 John 3:1-2). This serves as a powerful reminder of our worth in Christ: we are the people He purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28). We are loved and accepted in the Beloved! (Ephesians 1:6).

In our daily lives, these dimensions of God’s love should guide our actions and interactions. Having received such great love, we should extend the same love, compassion, and grace to those around us, mirroring the divine love we have received.

The post The Breadth, Depth, and Height of God’s Love appeared first on TGN.

“That you … may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”
Ephesians 3:17-19.

In today’s world, the concept of love is as varied as the people who experience it. Notably, human love can often be volatile and fleeting – one moment it’s a profound profession of love, and in the next, it can swiftly turn into words of resentment, especially in the context of intimate relationships. This inconsistency starkly contrasts the love of God. God’s love transcends human comprehension, it is steadfast, enduring, and unwavering. As we dive into the scriptures, we discover that one way to grasp this divine love is by contemplating its ‘length’.

In his epistle to the Ephesians, Paul prays for all recipients, whom he refers to as ‘saints and faithful in Christ’, to experience the zenith of all spiritual experiences: ‘that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.’

It is significant to note that Paul’s epistle was directed to the entire Church – all who are considered ‘saints,’ which simply denotes those called out or set apart – and not exclusively to the clergy or a special group of people. Throughout his letter, Paul consistently addresses all members of the Church as ‘saints’ (Eph 1:15, 18; 2:19; 3:8; 4:12; 6:18). Interestingly, the term ‘saints,’ appears 67 times in the New Testament and is invariably used in the plural form. Paul’s desire was for all the believers at Ephesus to attain this profound spiritual experience. We, as modern-day believers, are no different from these Ephesian Christians.

The Apostle underlines in his prayer, that the pathway to this spiritual summit lies in knowing ‘the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge’; to comprehend the dimensions of this love – its length, width, depth, and height. This is implied by the phrase, “that” in verse 19, which indicates that what precedes is a necessary condition for what follows:  

“and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19).

Nota bene

It is important to note upfront that what proceeds is only applicable to the heart in which Christ dwells. The text makes this explicitly clear when it says, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and ground in love,” before continuing with “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth…”. In other words, only the heart in which Christ dwells through faith can know this love that this article explores.

Next, it is essential to clarify the kind of knowledge being talked about here. The Bible uses the word “know” in two different ways. First, is head or sense knowledge. This kind of knowledge is merely intellectual and is not dependent on love. This is the kind of knowledge that the Apostle says, “puffs up”, contrasted by love, which “builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). One may know a lot about God and yet not know God. The second way in which the Bible uses “know” is translated from the Greek, “Ginosko“, depicting a living and deep experience, which stems from a loving and personal relationship with God. Interestingly, the Bible uses this expression to denote the intimate relationship between a husband and wife that leads to procreation (Luke 1:34). This kind of knowledge goes beyond sensory perception and permeates the heart that has made a home for Christ. Does your heart fit this description? Then you may proceed. If not, I invite you to invite Christ in, before we commence our journey.

What is the length of God’s love?

We start our journey by attempting to understand the ‘length’ of God’s love, signifying the endless and eternal nature of His love. At the start of his letter, Paul bursts into Apostolic praise, as he considered the fact that God’s love for His people began before he said “Let there be light“. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, and chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundations of the world were laid in place (Ephesians 1:4-5). Again, notice how this sets the premise for all that follows in Paul’s letter – including this indescribable experience of embracing the fullness of God in the totality of our being.

Jeremiah 31:3 provides us with a profound affirmation of God’s everlasting love: “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee (KJV).” His love is ceaseless, unchanging, and unbroken, and it endures from eternity past to eternity to come.

Romans 8:35, 38-39 reassures us of the inseparable nature of God’s love, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“ No circumstance or power in the universe can sever us from this eternal love.

God’s love is like an unbreakable promise that persists no matter the situation, just as stated in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you“. This promise reflects the boundless length of God’s love. It started before time and will continue forevermore, uninterrupted and unchanging, irrespective of our shortcomings and failures.

Understanding the length of God’s love – its unchanging and everlasting nature – provides us with immense comfort and assurance. His love, ceaseless and steadfast, becomes our fortress and refuge in times of trials and tribulations. No matter the situations we face in life, we can remain secure in the knowledge that God’s love for us remains constant.

The length of God’s love reminds us of our worth in His eyes. Despite our imperfections and failures, He continues to love us with an everlasting love. This should encourage us to reciprocate His love, not out of obligation, but out of genuine gratitude and joy. Our actions, attitudes, and relationships should reflect this divine love that has been so generously bestowed upon us.

In conclusion, the length of God’s love is a testament to His unending commitment to us. It provides a foundation for our faith and shapes our Christian walk. As we continue to delve deeper into the dimensions of His love, let us not forget the profound truth found in the length of His love – it is eternal, unchanging, and forever faithful.

The post The Length of God’s Love appeared first on TGN.