The Marvelous Gift Of Grace

The Marvelous Gift of Grace

Ephesians 2: 8-10

Over the past few weeks, we have considered the desperate situation of mankind. There is no doubt that we are all born in sin, separated from God and in danger of eternal condemnation because of sin. Thankfully, God understood man’s desperate need and his inability to restore himself to a right relationship with the Sovereign. Through His grace, God provided the means of salvation and reconciliation to Himself, restoring what sin had damaged.

Whether people choose to admit it or not, we all have a void within that only God can fill. We are God’s creation, created to know Him and fellowship with Him. While in sin, separated from God, we cannot enjoy that fellowship. God alone has the ability to provide what is necessary to fill the void within our hearts and lives.

Humanity has sought to fill that void down through the ages. While it may appear that the approaches have been quite varied, each approach always falls into one of two categories – works or faith. With the sons of Adam and Eve, very early in humanity, we see both of these approaches. Able sought to please God by responding in faith to God’s command. His brother, Cain, sought to please God in his own way, by works of the flesh. Unfortunately, many continue to approach salvation, seeking acceptance of God, through works of the flesh. These works are varied, but lack the ability to obtain salvation. Many religions today are based upon works – seeking to do enough to gain acceptance of God. Genuine salvation is never obtained through works that we accomplish, but by God’s grace through faith in the finished work of Christ.

As we examine the aspects of our salvation revealed in the text, I want to consider: The Marvelous Gift of Grace.

I. The Grace in Salvation (8a-b) – For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. Paul began this powerful discourse by emphasizing the grace involved in our salvation. One cannot truly receive or appreciate salvation apart from grasping the grace involved. While I do not suggest we will ever fully comprehend God’s grace, we must realize the necessity of it in our salvation. Consider:

A. The Substance of Grace – Paul declared that we are saved by grace through faith. In order to adequately understand what we have received, one must see grace for what it is. Grace is God’s unmerited favor; grace is extended and provided to those who are underserving; grace cannot be bought or earned – it is provided through God according to His divine will.

Understanding the severity of sin, sheds great light upon grace. Sin separates us from God. The penalty for sin is death. God is completely holy and righteous, void of any sin at all. Sin must be atoned or it must be punished. There is no middle ground. If our sin is not atoned through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, we remain condemned in sin. God could have left us in our sin and forced us to endure the judgment we rightly deserved. Grace provided what we could never obtain ourselves, and what we could never receive had God not been gracious in His provision!

B. The Significance of Grace (8) – One cannot consider grace apart from its source. Grace is wholly an act of God’s sovereign dealing with mankind. It cannot be purchased with money; it cannot be earned through works of the flesh; it cannot be obtained apart from God in any way. He alone is the provider of grace.

This is very significant when we consider the truth behind our relationship with God. Because of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden, we are all born in sin. We all come short of what God demands if we are to fellowship with Him and have the assurance of eternal life in heaven. There is nothing we can do to obtain the righteousness God demands. We cannot obtain the level of holiness required. In and of ourselves, we are hopeless.

God understood the desperate need of man and chose to provide a means of reconciliation to Him. Through His grace, God provided the atoning sacrifice for sin. As Christ Jesus, the only Son of God, died in our place on the cross, bearing our sin, the righteous demand of God was satisfied. Through His marvelous grace, God imputes (or transfers) the righteousness of His Son to us! We become righteous in the eyes of God because of the sacrifice of His Son. That is quite significant! Acts 13:39 – And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Rom.3:23-25 – For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: [25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (sacrifice, payment or appeasement for sin) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.