Ephesians 2:5-7

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

(v5-6, NIV)

As the last few verses say, we were dead in our transgressions and sins. We used to follow the ways of this world. However, Paul moves to speak about being made alive in Christ. How are we made alive in Christ? It is because of God's great love for us. It is because God is rich in mercy. Mercy is withholding from someone something they deserve when what they deserve is something unpleasant or "bad". When we were dead in our transgressions and sins, we deserved death. If God was not loving or rich in mercy, we would have received in full payment for our evil deeds and not even have had a chance to be made alive in Christ. However, we were given a chance to be made alive in Christ.

Now, if mercy is withholding from someone something "bad" that they deserve, how are we made alive in Christ? It is by grace you have been saved. Grace is the receiving of something "good" that we do not deserve. We don't deserve to be saved, but it is by grace that we are saved.

in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

(v7, NIV)

We who have received salvation through grace are a testimony to others of God's grace. This is the incomparable riches of his grace. Nothing can compare to how gracious God is. How awesome is God and his grace towards us. We receive his grace, without which we would not have been saved. As you know, it is because of Jesus' death on the cross that we are saved. God's grace is carried out through his sending of his son to die for our sins. This amazing act of grace will continue to be shown and revealed in the coming ages. I don't know what lies ahead for the future, but this is a story that will continue to be told and shown as an example of God's incomparable riches of his grace.