Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV – 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.
Personally, I’m pretty pumped that my own doing can’t get me saved. Imagine the pressure – or the ego! Every day I’m pretty sure I would be making sure I had something on my to do list that would make me think I’m getting into heaven. I would be super stressed!!
I’m sure there may be a few others who would be so proud of themselves thinking their crap doesn’t stink and everyone should be like their holiness. Bleh.
It makes me sad to see people who aren’t assured of their salvation. Many religions don’t offer an assurance of salvation – especially apart from works. So many have a behavior plan.
Can you tell I’m a Special Needs mom here?!
Early in Ephesians Chapter 2, Paul goes in depth to explain how lost and very human we were before Jesus did His work on the cross for our salvation.
God’s grace is Jesus and the way He made.
Before we were all sons of disobedience, slaves to our own flesh nature God decided to love us enough to make us alive together in Christ. Verse 6 and 7 is awesome – “And raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
Regardless, this verse should tell you exactly where the Christian faith holds this basic but significant point – we are all only saved by the grace of God given to us as a gift. Not one of us could do enough anyway to earn our salvation.
Don’t know about you but my yuck is pretty nasty and I’m not sure I can work better than myself – if that makes any sense.
I hear lots of people say that they are a pretty good person and that should be enough to get them into heaven. It’s like the good cancels out the bad.
I hate to inform those with that train of thought that this just isn’t the case. This verse is very clear about your works won’t do you any good in the way of obtaining and having confidence in salvation.
Jesus only.
I’d also hate to see myself be so proud of myself that I forget the greatness of God over my own inflated sense of entitlement after my jobs well done.
ESV commentary says grace refers to God’s favor on those of who have sinned against Him – so, all of us. Grace may be looked upon as a power, also, in that it offers salvation but also secures it.
What is our part in salvation? The faith aspect is what we do. Grace saves through our believing in and on Christ Jesus.
Our salvation is a beautifully wrapped gift extended by God through Jesus and nothing we could do could have been better.
I’m so glad I don’t have to try to earn my salvation!
