Saved by Grace

A very familiar two verses are the topic for today, Ephesians 2:8-9:  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  These verses are in this collection of ten verses to begin Ephesians chapter 2 where I mentioned a few days ago that I thought they were an excellent text to use in sharing the gospel with someone.  In verse 7 Paul wrote that God could use us to show the exceeding riches of His grace and in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  I thought I’d talk a little bit about this phrase, “his kindness toward us”.  I hope you realize that it is only because of God’s kindness toward us that we have an opportunity for salvation.  We don’t deserve it.  We really don’t.  I’m concerned that there are many who sort of feel like God owes them salvation…after all, they’re not really all that bad.  But remember from verse 1 of this chapter that we are dead in trespasses and sins…can’t get much worse off than dead!  So in thinking about the need for God’s kindness, we enter into these verses which remind us that we are saved by God’s grace through our faith.  We must believe in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and in His resurrection and that has to be by faith because we didn’t see it.  Once again Paul reminds us that this salvation is a “gift” from God; and in verse 9 reminds us that we have not earned it.  It is not of works.  No one will stand before God and present a resume’ which requires God to allow someone into His eternal presence.  That’s not true for me, you, Mother Teresa or anyone else.  Have you been saved by the grace of God because of His kindness toward you?

Share

Leave a Reply