S.Scripture | But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved — Ephesians 2:4–5
O.Observation | “Saved” is a divine word! Saved, is a passive word. That means someone else (God) saved us, because we couldn’t save ourselves. We were completely dead in sin, there was no activity in us whatsoever. God chose to give us who were dead life, “with Christ.” Our new life is given with Jesus’ new life. When Jesus rose from the grave the first Easter morning those who have true faith were raised with Him 2,000 or so years ago. That means, salvation is not decided by our trust in Him, but made evident by it. The work was 100% historically finished by Jesus Easter morning! This is grace! We who now have true faith were once dead and He has made us alive!!
What is the result of that salvation? Praise and glory to God. For He is “rich in mercy.” He has such “great love.” He loved us even when we had absolutely nothing to offer, when we were “dead in our transgressions.”
So, we learn here the doctrine of justification according to God’s loving choice, just as we saw in Ephesians 1:4. It is according to God’s grace and rich mercy. It is to His great praise and glory alone!
A.Application | Faith is the Greek word “pistis.” It means confident trust. If we truly trust in Jesus death and resurrection the payment of salvation He paid for us we need to abandon and destroy all thoughts of “Am I good enough” or on the other side “I am good enough.” Such thoughts are our prideful flesh and are eternally damnable false teachings that will lead us to hell. Why? Because such pride leads away from Christ’s saving us when we were dead and sets us up as the one who does the saving by being “good enough.” My pastor loves to talk about Jesus’ atonement, that is His sacrificial death in our place. Let us trust fully in the atoning work that Jesus has accomplished. He historically and certainly died, and rose again. There is no reasonable doubt it. So stop doubting that it was enough for your salvation and place your full trust in Him and Him alone!
P.Prayer | Father, thank you for your glorious mercy. I am a wretched sinner and do completely deserve your rejection and eternal punishment in hell. Yet, by no doing of my own, you chose to give me new life with Christ! You chose to save me! I praise you! I glorify you for such an immeasurable gift of grace! Put to death in me any lies of my flesh that I need to earn or that I could be good enough to be worthy of this gift. And let me live in response to it, that all of my life would be aim at your praise and glory as a living sacrifice worthy of your sacrifice. For your glory alone. Amen.
