Click here to watch my video reflection on our text for today, or keep reading for my written reflections: 

Today’s reading is from Ephesians 2: 1-10:

You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Today we see one of the most well-known passages in scripture – Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.   We know this one well. I’ve quoted it some many times that I lose track of it.  It is one of the key tenets of our faith. We are saved by grace through faith, not works, so no one can boast. 

None of us have a right or a reason to brag about how holy or awesome we may be. We are saved through faith. Not works. End of story, no room/reason to brag. All grace and faith. 

But, verse 10 must be included: For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.  Yes, we are saved by grace through faith.  No doubt, there as plain as day.  No ifs, ands, or buts, about it. Grace through faith.  

But we see this – we are designed for good works. And guess what, in the same way, that our conversion, or salvation, was God’s gift to us, so or those works.  Because those works from the same grace that saves us.  We are saved by grace, but we are sanctified by grace as well.

Salvation isn’t just a singular moment in our life, but it is an ongoing process of sanctification (or Christian growth) that is only possible through God’s grace.  The entire process of salvation, our call, our conversion, and our sanctification, they are all a gift of Gods’ grace.  

Both faith and works are God’s gifts to us through His amazing grace.  

Tomorrow, we’ll look at Ephesians 2: 11-22.  

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