Concerning Grace

Ephesians 2:1-10
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

The new life in Christ is a work of grace - once we were dead in our sins, and operating in the same rebellious spirit as the world does, but we were made alive in Christ Jesus by his grace, even when we were dead. A dead man has nothing to offer; we had nothing to offer, but he revealed the majesty of his love and mercy by offering his own life as they payment for our sins.

And not only that, but upon placing our faith on him, we have received his own righteousness. Not of works, but by faith alone (Romans 9:30-33). Not only that, but he gave his Spirit as a seal of all that he has promised us (Ephesians 1:13-14). Having been made co-heirs with Christ, we now are guaranteed to share in Christ's inheritance from God the Father (Galatians 3:16-4:7).

We have passed from death to life, from being the object of God's wrath and justice to the object of his love and affection. As Zephaniah 3:17 declares,
"The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

To those who are in Christ, the old self has been buried in Christ's death and the new man has been raised in the likeness of Christ. As II Corinthians 5:17 tell us, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

All this is a work of his grace. It is a free gift given to us. As unworthy as we are, Christ has called us worthy. As sinful as we are, God called us holy, and replaced our heart and gave us his spirit (Ezekiel 11:19). All this is done through the work of Christ, which is given by his grace and activated by faith.

The new life we live in the body is lived by faith in the Son of God and what he has accomplished for us. We have his Spirit (who was given to us as a free gift), and we know that fellowship with the Spirit of God produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Ephesians 5:22-23). As we proceed in our journey, we are confident in our standing with God. What does 2 Timothy 2:14 tell us? "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself."

God's commitment and devotion to us is amazing! He saved us by his grace, and keeps us by his grace. And even if we are faithless, he will not disown us. He has identified us with his own righteousness, and he will not change his mind. This is the grace in which we stand. That is why Paul was able to say, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Nothing of ourselves or outside of ourselves can change the nature of the relationship that we have with God. This is the security in which we stand.

Therefore, we can be strong and courageous in the Lord, in the strength of His might. 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." The Spirit he gave us was one of power. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. Not only has he given us this security and assurance, but he has equipped us by giving us his Spirit and his Word. We have been given all things that pertain to life and godliness. We can stand in this world with confidence and proclaim Christ crucified.

Romans 3:23-24 "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

The Christian life is a work of grace, given and powered by Jesus Christ. In his power we can be strong and courageous.