Ephesians (W3D4) Saved by Grace
Week 3. Thursday: Saved By Grace
PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word.
READ: Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words
By Grace (Greek: charis): unmerited merciful kindness of God to save and keep us
Grace is unmerited because we couldn’t earn it and don’t deserve it.
Since we don’t deserve it, grace is also not fair. Fairness is not the point.
Through Faith (Greek: dia pistis): trust, confidence, conviction (Romans 1:17)
By grace God chooses to adopt us as His own.
Faith is the vehicle through which we respond to God’s call.
Not from Yourselves (Greek: ou ek sy): not original to you (Philippians 1:29)
Neither grace nor faith comes from ourselves.
Both are a gift given freely by God.
Gift of God (Greek: dōron): grace & faith is given as a free gift from God (Acts 13:48)
Grace must be a gift. If it is earned, it is no longer grace (Romans 11:6)
Faith is also a gift because spiritually dead sinners cannot believe.
God gives us faith so we can come to Him (John 6:65).
Not by Works (Greek: ou ek ergon): not as a result of our actions (Romans 11:6)
No One Can Boast (Greek: mē tis kauchaomai): no one can take glory
Because salvation does not come from us, we cannot take credit for it.
God gets all the glory because it all comes from God.
APPLY: What is this passage calling me to do?
Grace. Probably the most misunderstood word in scripture. An false view of grace leads us to take advantage of God. An accurate view of God’s grace leads us to live a life of gratitude. When we realize that both grace and faith are gifts from God, it will change how we live. What God has done for us is clearly not from ourselves. Therefore, we cannot boast or live as if we did anything to earn or deserve grace.
In what ways have you misused God’s grace?
How should an accurate view of God’s grace change how we live?
How does a false view of grace affect our faith?
PRAY: Thank God for His grace and your faith. Ask Him to continue to give you both daily.
