For By Grace You Have Been Saved Through Faith
You were dead through the trespasses
and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following
the ruler of the power of the air; the spirit that is now at work among those
who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our
flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature
children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of
the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our
trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved –
and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in
Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches
of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been
saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God –
not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made
us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
Many of us believe good works will get
us in good with the boss. And for our everyday existence that might be the
case. Good works with God does not give us eternal life. Being
saving by our Lord Jesus gives us eternal life. Do not count your good
deeds thinking they will get you into heaven. You should do good works. If you
believe in Jesus, you will want to do good works. But you should do those good
works out of gratitude to Him, not because you think the works will get you
points so you can go to heaven. People with faith put their trust in Jesus for
forgiveness of sin. They have assurance of entrance into heaven and seek to
become more like Jesus every day. The apostle Paul said that the way to
salvation is by grace through faith. It is not of works but it is the gift of
God. The only way to the Father in heaven is through faith in Jesus. Your
religion should be based on Jesus, not doing good stuff. We are saved not by
what we do but by trusting what Christ has already done for us.
Our Daily
Bread –