THE WORD: “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8
THE POINT: Saved from what? Saved from the mess we’re in with all our fears, anxieties, pains and problems. Saved from our sins, our evil nature and the source of it all—that old serpent the devil. In order for us to be saved, we must first have 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. Therefore, the work of Christ on your behalf through His death, burial, and resurrection was God’s provision. 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.
This is the ultimate gift—God incarnate—Christ in you! 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. And that is the grace of God!
THE APPLICATION: The Christian life is really the Christ life, so you must receive Christ as your life. 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 His conduct in everything you say and do. You’re living, and yet it’s not really you, but Christ who’s doing the living! (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. God desires your cooperation. So, what about it? Are you cooperating with Him? Simply receive and believe. Christ will take care of the rest!
THE PRAYER: “Heavenly Father, I praise you for the great salvation that you have made available to me through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for this gift of salvation, which I did not deserve and could not earn. You gave yourself for me that you might give yourself to me, and live your life through me. By faith I receive you Lord Jesus into my life and I receive you as my life. I trust you to live your life through me.”
Living gracefully,
Dr. Lewis & Lue Gregory
