March 27, 2017 – Ephesians 2:8-9

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8-9

God’s gift of Grace is wrapped in the ribbon of eternal love and life of sacrifice!  The verse that explains most clearly what God’s Grace is John 3:16.  “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”  The next verse gives the answer to the God’s  ‘why’!  “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”

We are God’s masterpiece of creation. We mirror or reflect God’s image when we accept Him, just as our children mirror us – good and bad. Since God is Good…and perfect, our reflection of His image cannot stand with any bad. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17. Baptism is being born again – in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.  Romans 6:4.

When we can say to our Lord God, as it is written in Psalm 16:2, I said to the Lord, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you,” and recognize we are His, will we humble ourselves before Him.  Humility is the key to being able to truly love Him.

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4. From the beginning, this is the Lord’s plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11).  For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 2:10