Two Beautiful Words
Every word of scripture is important. The Apostle Paul tells us this in 2 Timothy 3:16
“All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness”
Some divine words provide consolation, while others are poetic, and some even cause our minds to struggle with what is being spoken. If I asked 100 people what their favorite words from scripture were, I am confident I would get 100 different answers. But today, I'd like to share with you what the two most beautiful words in all of scripture are to me.
We find these words in Ephesians 2:1-5:
And you were dead in the trespasses and ins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Did you catch my two favorite words in all of scripture?
BUT GOD!
Those are not only the two most beautiful words to me but two extremely powerful word! Two words that literally changed the course of history for many people.
My study Bible gives me this note about verse 4:
No hopeless fate looks any grimmer than that which awaits the forlorn company of mankind marching behind the “prince of the power of the air” to their destruction under divine wrath. Just when things look the most desolate, Paul utters the greatest short phrase in the history of human speech: BUT GOD!
Several years ago, one of my favorite Christians groups, Shane & Shane, wrote a song entitled “Oh But God”. The chorus goes like this:
Rich in mercy
How You loved me
Too much to let me stay lost
My salvation sent from heaven
Nailing my sin to a cross
Oh but God
This song really gets to the heart of this verse. It was through God's mercy that He sent His Son to take our place and die for us. To cover the cost that we ought to have covered. People often say that when you mix God’s mercy, His immense love, and His grace, you get the wonderful free gift of salvation!
Tony Merida says it this way:
God’s gracious initiative and sovereign action stand in wonderful contrast to verses 1-3. We were lifeless, hopeless, and under condemnation. “BUT GOD” came to our rescue.
There are many people around the world that have never heard those two beautiful words. Which means there are many people around the world who have never heard the gospel - the saving power of Jesus Christ!
Christians, let’s be inspired by love and mercy to share these beautiful words with a world that really needs them - BUT GOD!
