”For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9New International Version (NIV)
Ephesians 2:8-9 Devotional (Daily Bible Verse)
It is by grace you have been saved
Ephesians 2:8-9 is a familiar passage from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. In these verses, Paul dealt with the subject of God’s grace in the salvation of men.
Paul, therefore, stated that “it is by grace you have been saved“. For in Ephesians 2:1-10, he wrote on the subject of salvation – the first 3 chapters of his letter to the Ephesian Church focus on God’s grace as the blessing of being in Jesus Christ.
Consequently, in Ephesians 2:1-7, Paul told his audience what happens when God saves you. That is God brings you from death (Romans 3:23) to life (John 3:16-17) because, before salvation, you are dead in your trespasses. And in verse 7, Paul told the Ephesians why God saves you.
Therefore, Paul wrote that God saves you because He had purposed and planned to show you the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness towards you in Christ Jesus. And finally, in verses 8 to 10, Paul revealed how God saves you. That is by grace through faith in Christ (verse 8), by Christ’s merit (verse 9) (Ephesians 2:8-9) – not ours, and by making you a new creation in Christ (verse 10 and 2 Corinthians 5:17).
God’s kindness
Moreover, in 1 Corinthians 13:4, Paul revealed that kindness is a fundamental quality of love. That is love is kind – love is helpful without seeking repayment.
Therefore, God in His kind disposition toward sinful you provided a way for you to escape death – death is the wage for sin. And Jesus is God’s grace in the saving of undeserving sinners, of whom you were/are one.
Paul, therefore, taught that while we were yet sinners and dead in trespasses and sins, God loved us enough to quicken us by giving us life (Romans 5:8). He extended mercy to us by giving us this new life through Jesus Christ. Because He is mighty to save.
Consequently, you and I are saved (justified) by God’s unmerited favor. We did not do anything to earn or deserve God’s salvation. He freely gives us His grace as a gift courtesy of His kindness and love for us (even though we were/are not unworthy to receive it). And essentially, God saves you because He wants to save you.
Faith
Moreover, John 6:44 states that “No one can come to Jesus unless God draws him/her”. But this requires faith because faith is the means by which you lay hold of God’s grace. Because you are saved through trusting in what Jesus did on the Cross (1 John 2:2-3 and 4:10).
Therefore, faith is trusting in God’s provision for you (Hebrews 11:1). For if either you or I did anything to earn or deserve God’s salvation, then it is not grace. It will be by works. And consequently, neither you nor I can boast about God’s salvation.
In fact, Ephesians 2:8 ends by stating that salvation is God’s doing (work). Therefore, it is God’s gift to you and me. And since neither of us can boast in our own power regarding the same, God receives all the glory (not us).
Consequently, you cannot bring about your salvation. You can only completely depend on what God has already done (provided) for you in Christ Jesus.
Salvation is God’s thing
Therefore, the totality of your salvation is in God. There is nothing that you do to earn it. In fact, faith is a gift from God. And so salvation is another of God’s mysteries.
Nevertheless, Paul’s proclamation is that salvation is by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for God’s glory alone. Therefore, there is hope for every sinner because salvation depends on God – it does not depend on the sinner. God’s grace leveled the field between Jews and Gentiles.
Note:
- Ephesians 2:8-9 encompasses all the ideas of the first 3 chapters of the book of Ephesians. And these verses answer the question: “What must I do to be saved?”
- When Paul was coming to the end of his second missionary journey, he briefly stopped off in the city of Ephesus with Aquila and Priscilla. While there, Paul reasoned with the Jews in the synagogue (Acts 18:18-19). And upon his quick departure for Antioch of Syria, Paul left Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus (Acts 18:18-21, 24-26).
- Therefore, when Paul returned to Ephesus, of course during his third missionary journey, he found disciples who only knew of John’s baptism (Acts 19:1-3). And he enlightened them on God’s way (Acts 19:4-5), thus, making his epistle a reminder to them.
Prayer/Blessing
Loving Father, thank You for Your free gift of salvation. I am not worthy to receive such a precious gift, that’s why I thank You for gifting me with Your salvation.
Nevertheless, I accept Your grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And I, therefore, make Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior for the rest of my life. And consequently, may You glorify yourself in my life.
I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
Acts 4-6 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
