Saved By Grace

"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 on one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand, that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:8-10, ESV).

Salvation from start to finish is a work of grace.  We could never mine the depths of what that truly means.  It is mind blowing to consider the reality that though we were formerly dead, we have now been brought to life in Christ.  Paul wants his readers to be clear about this truth.  We cannot accurately talk about salvation without referencing grace.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith," Paul reminds.  Paul's statement, although blunted by years of familiarity, is truly striking. We hear it, as we have so often, but we don't fully grasp how shocking it must of been to the recipients of this letter.  Every major religion put forth some merit system, whereby worshipers could appease the gods.  Worshipers need only give this, or do that, and the gods would not make their lives miserable.  Even the Jews experience confusion in worship.  They came to believe that God would have to accept their service or their offerings.  Many of them believed their worship obligated God to do what they wanted.  However, salvation has always been a work of sovereign grace.  In grace, God revealed himself to Abraham and made him a nation.  In grace, he promised to make them his people and to be their God.  In grace, he sent them his Word to shepherd and guide them into righteousness.

Paul explains, "And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God."  Since salvation finds its starting point in the grace of God, only God can bring it to its proper conclusion.  We didn't save ourselves, nor could we.  It is difficult to know if Paul meant that salvation was the gift or if our faith is the gift.  Scholars are divided on how to interpret it.  Either way, it is God who saves us.  Paul presses on, "not a result of works, so that no one can boast."  Grace prevents pride.  It also halts division.  If we are not saved by what we do, but because God loves us, then we must in turn accept others on the same basis.

Paul concludes, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."  We are examples of God's craftsmanship.  Through our salvation, God is displaying is incomparable glorious grace.  However, he does not shelve us like a trophy, but places us into service to do the work for which he has created us.

Thus, through the gracious act of redeeming us, God has changed our course.  Once we formerly traveled down Death Road, pursuing the passions of our flesh, serving Satan, and working disobedience.  Now we travel down Life Highway, pursuing the glory of our Father, through faith in the Son, as the Spirit works obedience in our hearts.