Made Alive In Christ

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 flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving 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 is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

By Grace Through Faith

Ephesians 2:1-10

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Salvation by Grace through Faith Alone

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

To get a handle on this text, you must understand five key concepts: “saved”; “grace”; “faith”; “gift” (as opposed to “works”); and, “boast” (or, glory).

1. To be saved means that the Lord Jesus Christ has rescued us from God’s wrath and judgement.

2. Salvation by grace alone means that we did absolutely nothing to earn or merit salvation.

3. Salvation through faith alone means that we receive salvation through trusting in what Jesus did for us on the cross.

4. Salvation is God’s free gift to us.

5. Salvation gives all the glory to God and none to us.

https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-14-salvation-grace-through-faith-alone-ephesians-28-9

Forgiveness Is Unequal

For the one who’s forgiven it’s free… undeserved. Grace.

For the one forgiving, it comes at a price. Believing in the opportunity for redemption.

By grace, through faith we’re saved.

Recipients of God’s grace… a product of the faith of Christ… in turn a result of obedience to God’s will.

It’s not “our faith first” that saved us. It’s Christ’s faith. At Calvary we had no faith… but we were included in redemption by God’s grace and Christ’s faith.

Does our faith have a part? Most definitely. How can we receive and take hold of the gift of salvation we don’t believe?

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Gal 2:20… I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

  • Mark Saunders