The Gift of Grace

Ephesians 2:8-9

New Living Translation (NLT)

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

The gospel is over-scrutinized, over-debated, and in many cases over-thought in many circles.  If you were expecting a deeply theological post surrounding the tenets of faith this might not be your cup of tea, but  the gospel is made simple by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians.  You were saved by grace because you believed.  It is no reward for the good things you have done, instead it is a gift from God so you can't take credit for it.

If you are anything like me you probably tend to compare yourself to others so you can feel better about your shortcomings.  It is natural, we don't want to be the worst, we don't want to be the most out of shape, we don't want to have the most inexpensive car or home, we often find comfort in the flaws of others.

What is so powerful about the gospel is that it totally breaks down the walls of comparison.  No one is greater, no one is stronger, no one is more deserving; instead all are on a level playing field as recipients of a free gift called grace.  You don't have to stack up, you don't have to be first in line, you don't have to be first in your class; in the eyes of God we all needed a remedy and it was freely given in the form of the person Jesus Christ.

If you are wondering if you are worthy; you're not.  If you are wondering; do I deserve the blessings of God; you do not.  This amazing grace is  a gift, we don't deserve it, and we can't earn it.  What I love the most is that no one can boast about it.  From the greatest to the least, we were all in the same perdicament, and even still God loved us enough to send his son, not as a reward for the "good things we have done" but as a gift.