For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10 [ESV]
One of the most amazing passages of the bible. These verses wrap up the basis of not only our security but also a blueprint for the life we are to live IN Jesus.
BY GRACE:
…we have been saved. It is out of Gods love for us in unmerited favor, that we have a way out of just punishment of our sin.
THROUGH FAITH:
There is only one medium by which we take hold of our salvation, that is through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is a committed, heart felt conviction that something is true, something will happen, or even that something is happening. Faith is believing on something unseen. Romans 12:3 tells us that God assigns us the measure of our faith. I believe that God grows our faith by revealing Himself and His hand in and through our circumstances, trials, and suffering.
NOTHING WE CAN DO:
There is nothing we can do to save ourselves. we are inherently sinful and there is no way for us in our own power to eliminate that sin.
IT IS A GIFT:
God in His great mercy extends salvation from our sin through the work of Jesus. We can do nothing, Jesus has done every thing. The only action we can do is RECEIVE the gift extended.
GODS GLORY ALONE:
The reason there are no works or any thing we can do is because it is God alone who is glorified. Since all we can do is receive this gift of God, there is nothing of our own action or pride we can hang our hat on. God alone is the recipient of thanks, gratitude, service, and warship because of what HE has done.
WE ARE BORN-AGAIN:
When we are saved, we are given a spiritually infused life that has a capability it previously lacked. God has created us as new creatures with an ability to communicate with Him unlike before our re-creation. Our heart become softened and a desire to simply please God above all else is placed in us.
WE WERE CREATED WITH A PURPOSE:
God’s redemption also comes with a purpose → GOOD works. Good works is a product of salvation, not causing it. Good work is simply living our lives in ways that honor Him. How do we know what honors Him? We seek Him and what honors Him in His word. We follow the guidance of the Holy spirit within us. We are not saved by works → we are saved for works. We are now able to live in the ways God designed.
Application:
There should be a marked difference in the walking I do now compared to the way I walked before God’s gift. God’s grace and power through the Messiah and in the Spirit have made that possible. God has designed a path that He has now equipped me to follow. Am I honoring God in my walk? Have I thrown off boasting? What works for Jesus in light of His instruction and sacrifice am I missing out on completing?
Today’s Psalm:
The king is not saved by his great army;
Psalms 33:16-19
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by its great might it cannot rescue.
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine.