Verse 8 is a relative clause that I think provides a balance to human minds that might misunderstand grace. “…. according to the riches of His grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.”
Now, “lavished” in the Greek has the meaning “overflowed,” “abundance” “more than needed.” When God lavished, He did it from His wisdom and insight. Another translation has it “ which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and [b]prudence, (understanding). . . “ Or, is it referring to us having wisdom and understanding in the experience of grace? Obviously God does what He does in wisdom and insight. We can’t really divvy up God’s character, so there could be no tension or conflict in His wisdom v. His grace, as if one is intellectual/cognitive and the other emotional/affective. We are the ones who need to experience grace in wisdom, prudence, insight and understanding.
Because we would naturally have the temptation to think grace goes farther than what God intends—license, carelessness about moral and ethical choices, believing “it’s easier to get forgiveness than permission.” I never bought into that saying—forgiveness from humans is not guaranteed! (That’s not to say I haven’t occasionally lived by it, even if I didn’t publicly proclaim it!).
We need grace and wisdom to use it; we need wisdom and grace to keep us humble that it has nothing to do with us, it is pure gift.
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