“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.” Ephesians 2:8-9
Our salvation is entirely of God’s grace, from beginning to end. Christ Jesus made full atonement for the sins of all. The Holy Spirit, working through the Gospel, created faith in our hearts whereby we have received the blessings won for us by Christ. And, the Holy Spirit continues His gracious working in us through God’s Word to preserve and keep us in the true faith unto life everlasting. We have no grounds to boast; we are saved by the grace of God alone!
We praise You, O God, for providing us with salvation in the Son and making us partakers of that salvation by granting to us faith in Christ Jesus by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit through Your Word. Amen.
“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.” Ephesians 2:4-7
Because our own sinfulness has blinded our eyes, we fail to see the richness of God’s mercy toward us in Christ Jesus. But, in the coming ages, we will see “the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” We will see the great love God had for us when He sent His only-begotten Son to die for us and atone for our sins, and when He raised us up from spiritual darkness and death to see our utter sinfulness and to trust in the redemption accomplished for us by Jesus Christ.
We thank You and praise You, O God, for the sacrifice of Your Son to redeem us from sin and death and for giving us forgiveness and life through faith in His name. Amen.
“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 …” Ephesians 2:4-6
God, because of His rich love and mercy toward us lost sinners, graciously made us alive with Christ when He brought us to faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for the world’s sins. He raised us up with Christ (through faith in His name) and gave us to sit together with Christ in His glorious heavenly kingdom.
Thank You, O God, for graciously granting to me faith in Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross, for raising me up from spiritual darkness and death to spiritual light and salvation, and for granting me new life and a place in Christ’s glorious kingdom, all through faith in Jesus’ name. Amen.
“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.” Ephesians 2:1-3
We who now believe were once spiritually dead in our trespasses and sins. We walked according to the ways of this sinful world. We followed the counsel of the devil and his evil angels. We fulfilled the sinful longings of our flesh. And, along with multitudes of others, we were headed to eternal suffering in hell. But … by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit through His Word, God awakened us and gave us life through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, and His death on the cross for our sins!
Thank you, O gracious Father, for raising us up from spiritual darkness and death and granting us life through faith in Your Son Jesus Christ, our Savior! Amen.
“…And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:22-23
The same power of God that exalted the risen Christ Jesus to God’s right hand and placed all things under His authority is also at work in us, who are members of Christ’s body through faith in Him. In Christ, our head, who fills all in all, we are also given victory over all our enemies and are raised up to share with Him in the glories of His everlasting kingdom.
Open my eyes, O Lord, to Your Spirit’s mighty working in me through Your Word to give me faith in Christ my Savior and to make me a partaker of the glories of Christ’s everlasting kingdom. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
