“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:1-9, NIV).
Do we really understand the grace of God, especially in conveying salvation?
How much do we appreciate God for it? Do we rejoice in it, as John Newton did and he was even inspired to make the song, “Amazing Grace”?
When God opened my mind to have a glimpse of His grace, I was really in great awe as if I was just beginning to learn of His Almighty Power – how He created the universe out of nothing! Also, I felt I “fall in love” again with God – but the height of the “fall” was much higher!
My heart was “dancing with joy” as I read on the subject of grace, written by Jerry Bridges, Charles R. Swindoll and Max Lucado..
But the Bible gives us many wonderful illustrations of grace. Are we aware of them?
Many Bible teachers quoted Ephesians 2:5, “…it is by grace you have been saved.” And they even proceed to go to verse 9, “…not by works, so that no one can boast.”
We could readily believe that we obtain salvation by God’s grace – it is His gift – not by works, not by any single good performance we do. We read in Isaiah 64:6, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…”
Even the physical chosen people – the Israelites -- received favor from God, not because of their righteousness. Moses told them:
“Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people” (Deut. 9:6).
We need also to realize that even the spiritual favor enjoyed by spiritual chosen people of God – salvation, as they received eternal life, as they became adopted children of God or became His own, as they received heavenly citizenship, or as they are brought into God’s Kingdom – is purely by God’s own doing – His gift to them – not because they have labored for it.
We do not even deserve to be saved!
Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:1-3:
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.”
Those He saved, actually, deserve to suffer His wrath.
But even we are not deserving, “… because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions…” (Eph. 2:4-5).
He still saved us – “made us alive with Christ.” And He did it, because of His great love for us, in His mercy – “by grace” – through faith, or belief in the Son of God, Jesus Christ (verse 9).
What do we need is to believe – to have faith in the Son of God. We are saved not by own works. Unfortunately, we tend to conclude that we are saved by our own faith, or by our faith plus the faith given to us by God!
But Paul wrote that “through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). If we received salvation by grace, we need also to realize that the faith needed in salvation is not from ourselves, “it is the gift of God” – just like salvation.
Our own will cannot produce or generate this kind of saving faith. Like our acts of righteousness that “are like filthy rags” – so with our human will. For our actions are products of our will, or mind.
We read Romans 8:6-8, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”
With such kind of mind, could we ever choose, or will to have faith in the Son? We could choose, or will to give “good” gifts to our children, but in God’s eyes we are still “evil.” “Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God” – even the faith coming from that kind of nature, it cannot please God.
We become His spiritual children, not because of our own desire or will. We read in John 1:12-13 that God “gave (the believers) the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God(‘s decision or will)."
Because of His grace, God did not only give His Son in the flesh to work FOR our salvation; but He also gave His Spirit, so He could work IN us – in our mind -- “to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:13). He gives the faith (“it is the gift of God” – Eph. 2:8) to those who are appointed “to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:9).
That’s why when the Gentiles heard Paul and Barnabas, as we read in Acts 13:48, “all who were appointed for eternal life believed.”
The grace of God is truly amazing. For He sees to it that the overwhelming favor is really delivered and would benefit the undeserving recipient.
When the so-called prodigal son in Luke 15 returned to his father, the son was willing to work for his father just to fill his stomach (verses 17-19). But the father ran to meet his son, embraced and kissed him. And he did not even ask his son if he wanted to eat. He just directed his servants to prepare a feast for him! He did not just provide his son with clean clothes. He told his servants to put the best robe on him, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. The son did not even exercise his will, or just his imagination, to have all those favors (verses 22-24). (You can also review my message HOW THE SOVEREIGN GOD CONVEYS GRACE.)
Consider also the good Samaritan who showed mercy to the man who was left half-dead by the robbers (Luke 10:30-37).
While the priest and the Levites did not help the man, the Samaritan “took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. `Look after him,’ he said, `and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “
Just like the Samaritan, our Savior Jesus Christ “took pity on” us – the sinners – not only half-dead, but “dead in… (our) transgressions and sins.” Like the victim of the robbers, we have no consciousness, or “conscious-will” to beg for mercy.
Isaiah 53:5 states, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (ASV).
God also poured His Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us. And He took us into His Church to take care of us, until the return of His Son. As we encourage and love one another, He will reward each one of us “according to what he has done” (Matt. 16:27).
God saved us by grace, so we can really perform good works that are acceptable in His sight. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10).
By God’s grace, He would reward our good works – no longer “like filthy rags” – they are “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Indeed, “it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” That’s really amazing! May He grant us the privilege to believe.
PRAYER: Our Almighty Father – Loving and Merciful -- Your Grace is truly amazing! Help us to realize that we have really nothing to boast before You and Your Son. We kneel before Your Holy Presence “with fear and trembling.” But through Your Holy Spirit, we rejoice with thanksgiving for working in us. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.
