We need to be strengthened in our innermost being so that Christ may dwell in our hearts. We often talk about Christ living in our hearts in fat too "soft" a manner. If Christ lives in our hearts it will bring about radical changes in our lives, casting out all sorts of bad stuff (attitudes and actions) and leading us to be very different. It requires strength for this to happen, and strength to be able to live the life of Christ.
Paul then prays that we will have the power to realise the full extent of Christ's love. Often these verses are taken as us as individuals being aware of the extent of God's love for us as individuals. Now it is important for us to know this, but I don't think that is Paul's main thrust here. In the immediate verses he is talking about the church as a whole realising the extent of God's love. Moreover, in the context of the letter as a whole one of his main themes as been that God's purposes extent to all of humanity. It seems better therefore to take this as Paul praying that the church as a whole will understand the extent of God's love in the sense that it reaches out to every aspect of humanity. ie that Christ's mission is truly to take the gospel to all the ends of the earth.
This also ties in with the last two verses. God is able to immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. There are no limits to His purposes. But note that He does this "according to His power that is at work within us". The church is God's chosen means for achieving this. His plan is to achieve this through us.
Paul then prays that we will have the power to realise the full extent of Christ's love. Often these verses are taken as us as individuals being aware of the extent of God's love for us as individuals. Now it is important for us to know this, but I don't think that is Paul's main thrust here. In the immediate verses he is talking about the church as a whole realising the extent of God's love. Moreover, in the context of the letter as a whole one of his main themes as been that God's purposes extent to all of humanity. It seems better therefore to take this as Paul praying that the church as a whole will understand the extent of God's love in the sense that it reaches out to every aspect of humanity. ie that Christ's mission is truly to take the gospel to all the ends of the earth.
This also ties in with the last two verses. God is able to immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. There are no limits to His purposes. But note that He does this "according to His power that is at work within us". The church is God's chosen means for achieving this. His plan is to achieve this through us.
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