God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8
What did Paul mean when he said that God saved us by His grace? In Ephesians 2, the apostle explained what it means and what we need to be saved from.
It all started in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. They disobeyed God, which caused sin to enter into the human race.
Not one person since has naturally gravitated to God except for Jesus. Listen to how Paul worded what a person’s state is before they receive the Lord.
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. Ephesians 2:1-2
Paul didn’t candy-coat the condition of our sinful nature. Whether you were born in the ghetto or in a palace, we all have the same nature.
Before we received Christ, we each obeyed the devil. The apostle included everybody from model citizens to the worst that society could develop.
All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. Ephesians 2:3
Mercy, Grace, and the Love of God
If Ephesians 2 ended with just those three verses, we would have no hope whatsoever. Fortunately, those few verses aren’t the end of the story.
The very God whom we have sinned against gave us a way out. So Paul described the love of God by using three important words: mercy, grace, and saved.
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) Ephesians 2:4-5
Salvation became available to us because of the combination of the mercy of God with His grace. Thus, through Christ, we no longer need to remain dead in our sins.
Because of God’s grace, salvation is free to all who will receive it. Some people have a hard time with that. They feel like they have to do something to obtain their salvation.
Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:9
Let’s look at an easier way to understand what “saved by the grace of God” means.
Salvation comes in the form of a gift from God.
What do you do with a gift? You accept or take it. According to Romans 6, this gift freed us from the power of sin and has given us life for all eternity.
But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
The Simplicity of Saved by the Grace of God
What a simple message, but people try to make it so complex. Why? They think it’s way too easy, and guess what? It is easy and free! So why don’t that many take advantage of it?
We could use the analogy of a super highway compared to an old country road. A super highway has six lanes, cars move at a high rate of speed, and are chosen by many.
A country road is narrow and continues in one direction. If you get in the wrong lane of the highway, you could find yourself going in a different direction.
You can’t accidentally get off the country road because it takes a conscious choice to turn off it. Jesus talked about the (super) highway and the narrow way to heaven.
You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. Matthew 7:13-14
Those saved by the grace of God walk on the narrow road leading towards heaven. Each step they take along the way is on the solid Rock of Jesus.
Lord, by your Holy Spirit, reveal Jesus to everyone who reads this devotion. For those who already know you, give them the boldness to share this simple message with someone today.
Check out these related posts on getting your life right with God
- How To Be A Remnant Of God
- Jesus Is The Ultimate Sacrifice For All Eternity
- Receiving Salvation In The Lord Is Made Easy
- Who Can Be Saved?
- An Invitation To Salvation Found In Isaiah
- Born Into The Family Of God
- I Know My Redeemer Lives
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Republished with permission from Blogs.crossmap.com, featuring inspiring Bible verses about Saved By The Grace Of God.
