Read Ephesians 2:1-10
Paul starts off with some harsh words of scripture, "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). He doesn't say we were struggling or getting by, he said that we were spiritually dead. Walking by our own desires and wants of the flesh.
That all changes in verse 4 which says, "But God." These two words change everything because it shows that we have a redeemer and savior. Someone who can save us and give us hope. Our hope isn't found in the things that we have done, but what God has done for us.
Paul says in verses 8-9 that we are saved through faith and faith only. Salvation is a gift and cannot be earned. This passage reminds us that our relationship with God is not earned through good deeds, religious activity, or trying harder. If Salvation could be earned, then we could never reach it. It is not based on works, being kind, or not sinning, but through the grace of Jesus Christ our savior. We do not need to try and prove our worth to the world because we have already been accepted by the blood of Jesus.
God isn't finished with us; he is constantly shaping us to become who we were supposed to be. We are his masterpiece and he is our creator.
Questions To Think About
Am I relying on God's grace, or am I trying to earn His approval?
How has God changed my life since I came to the faith?
What are some good works that I have done because I have come to know Christ as my Lord and savior?