Since, by our place in Christ by the abounding grace and mercy of God our Father, we have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his Son’s marvelous light, being carried with him, as it were, through our baptism into him, through death and into the glorious light of his resurrection, Paul prays that we would be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints the breadth, length, height, and depth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge so that we may be increasingly filled with the fullness of God’s goodness and grace and righteousness, filled with the knowledge of his will according to the wisdom and understanding of his Spirit.
Why would he pray that? Is he interested, simply, that those who have believed upon the Lord Jesus through the ministry of Paul would prove themselves to be highly educated and refined theologians so that he would win the “Apostle of the Year” award?
No. Since Paul knows that we were saved and are being built together into the new Temple by God’s grace in Jesus Christ in order to do the Good Works of his redemptive mission in Christ, Paul is praying that we know the abounding, boundless love of Christ so that we may increasingly walk and bear fruit in every good work in a manner that is worthy to be identified with the Christ of such love.
The principal “Good Work” to which such knowledge gives rise is the irresistible compulsion to worship, along with all the saints, before the throne of grace, singing out,
Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!and
Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created!and
Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.
So, then, let us come and join our voices together with all the saints in offering worship to our King, Jesus, the Lamb who was slain and so bear witness in a dead world to its Living Hope.