Ephesians 2

Why did God save you? In Ephesians 2 Paul writes that we are saved by faith through grace. What does that really mean?

By salvation Paul means that we have been saved from a fate that we deserved. Because of sin we were separated from God. Our destiny would have been to stay in our sin-miserable life. But Christ's sin-conquering death makes it possible for us to leave the life in sin and enter into life in Christ. This possibility is an undeserved gift, or grace. We may accept this gift of new life in Christ by believing and trusting that what God says is true, or by faith. Now faith is not something we do to make ourselves acceptable to God. That's what Jesus did. Faith is our yes to God’s gift of new life. This brings us back to the first question. Why did God save you?

Paul answers that question in verse 10. First, Paul affirms that salvation is God’s Extreme Makeover of us: “For we are God’s masterpiece.” Then Paul tells us why God gives us this makeover: “He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

If this sounds a bit too abstract, a story that makes it very real and personal is in Luke 7:36-50. You might want to read and think about that story.

Some people think that salvation is about God saving them so that when they die they will go to heaven. But, that is not at all what Paul’s believes, is it?

What does today’s reading reveal to you about God?
What does it reveal to you about yourself?
Think about what God wants you to do or remember about this passage.

Does God want you to change anything in your life?