THE WORD: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV
THE POINT: The prevalent thinking is that if we work hard enough and do our best then that’s good enough. But good works don’t work! We can’t fix ourselves, satisfy ourselves or save ourselves. In order for us to be saved, we need a Savior.
God’s marvelous gift of salvation comes to us through the person and work of The Savior—Jesus Christ the Lord. Your works could never be good enough to merit your salvation. However, the Lord Jesus Christ does all things well! Therefore, the work of Christ on your behalf through His death, burial, and resurrection was well pleasing to God the Father. Jesus Christ is the perfect embodiment of God’s grace. Jesus Christ Himself is God’s gift to you! Christ gave His life for you in order that He might give His life to you and then live His life through you. This is the ultimate gift—God incarnate—Christ in you! And that is the grace of God! God’s salvation is totally by grace through faith. Grace means God gives, and faith means you receive. God has made His gift of salvation available to you in the person of Jesus Christ. But as God’s marvelous gift of salvation comes to us through the person and work of The Savior—Jesus Christ the Lord. Your works could never be good enough to merit your salvation. However, the Lord Jesus Christ does all things well! Therefore, the work of Christ on your behalf through His death, burial, and resurrection was well pleasing to God the Father. Jesus Christ is the perfect embodiment of God’s grace. Jesus Christ Himself is God’s gift to you!
Christ gave His life for you in order that He might give His life to you and then live His life through you. This is the ultimate gift—God incarnate—Christ in you! And that is the grace of God! God’s salvation is totally by grace through faith. Grace means God gives, and faith means you receive. God has made His gift of salvation available to you in the person of Jesus Christ. But as with any gift, you must first receive it. So in this case, you must first receive Christ as your Savior and Lord.
THE APPLICATION: You also must receive Christ as your life, because the Christian life is really the Christ life. Therefore, when it comes to living the Christian life, your works won’t work—can’t work. You, in your own human strength, will never be able to live the Christian life. Only Christ can do that!
The Christian life is all about Christ in you living His life through you! Christ came into your life in order to accomplish His good and perfect works through your life. He does this by living His life as you: working through your mind, will, emotions, and body—expressing Himself through everything you say and do. You are still living, and yet it’s not really you, but Christ who’s doing the living! Christ is the Source of your life. As the Apostle Paul said, “I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
God established the Christian life on the basis of grace through faith. Grace means God does the work. Faith means you let Him. Letting Christ work through you is an act of faith. Christ living His life through you is God’s grace in action. Although God certainly doesn’t need your permission, He does desire your cooperation. So, what about it? Are you letting Him? Simply believe and receive. Christ will take care of the rest!
THE PRAYER: “Dear Lord, I have tried to fix my problems and improve my life, but it never works. I now know that my only hope is You, Lord. I am grateful for the wonderful gift of your saving grace. Thank You that You gave Your life for me so that you could give Your life to me, and live Your life through me. Your way is always the way of grace through faith. Cause me to believe and receive so that You can have Your way with me.”
