Ephesians 2:8-10
”For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;“
Ephesians 2:8 AMPC
The children of Israel when they were in the wilderness had a list of rules they had to live by. They had to make a lot of sacrifices- sin offering, atonement offering, peace offering, burnt offering. There were punishments for different things they did. People were sent out of the camp for different kinds of defilement. As human beings, it is so hard to keep to all the rules. That’s why they had to have constant sacrifices and people occasionally had plagues fall on them for their sins. God knew we could not make it right on our own. We are not capable of doing the right things because of our sin nature.
He loved us so much that He delivered us from all that and He sent Jesus to die for us. Jesus paid the price by dying on the cross and taking our sins on Him. This is the greatest favor from God to man, that the Son of God took our place. It is free grace for us but it cost God the life of His son. It is not because of any works we do. All we need to do is accept this sacrifice of Jesus by faith and confess Him with our mouths, then we are saved. This is God’s unmerited favor towards us. It is His free and greatest gift to us.
Do you know about this gift of God to you? Have you ever wondered why there always seems to be a void in your life? What have you done in the past to fill it? Do you realize that only Jesus can fill that void? Would you accept this gift today?
Practice points
If you have never accepted this gift of God, today is the day. Do not delay, this is the day of salvation. Ask Jesus to come into your heart. Say this simple prayer below.
If you have accepted this gift, share it with someone else. Lead someone to Christ
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for me on the cross. Forgive me for every way I have tried to live my life on my own. Come into my life today and be the Lord and Savior of my life. I surrender my life to you