It is by Grace You Have Been Saved

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

It is by Grace You Have Been Saved

Date: Aug. 20, 2016

Passage

Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV)

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in 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 coming ages 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 a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 2:8

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

First, dead in sin, made alive with Christ (1-7). Man without God is dead in sin even though they don't know it yet. We were all like this, deserving of wrath: God's judgment on sin. But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ. He raised us up from the dead in Christ, and when we are seated with him in heavenly realms, all will see the incomparable riches of his grace, shown throughout the ages in us.

Second, we are God's handiwork (8-10). This great grace of God has saved us, and not at all through any work, only through faith. This salvation and hope is the gift of God, not any work that we may boast. Each one's story is God's handiwork. All the work we do in Christ Jesus, expanding his kingdom and serving his church, preaching the gospel to the lost, is just what God created us to do, and we can be sure he has prepared us in advance for this task.

Prayer: Father, I was dead in sin and by grace you saved me. Thank you! Help me do the works you created me to do by faith.

One Word: Created in Christ Jesus to do good works

Like Seeing the Face of God

Genesis 33:1-20

Key Verse: 33:11

Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it.

Today's Question

What does the ninth commandment forbid?

See answer and references