Daily Devotion in Ephesians 2

Daily Nugget:
In Ephesians 2, Paul addressed converted Gentiles (Ephesians 1:1) and reminded them how they became Christians. This crucial action has eluded many religions, even some “Christian” denominations.

The distinctions that separate lost, even religious, people from the saved are:

• A saved person is saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 1:8) because Jesus died on the cross and paid for their sins.
  
  Grace is “free, unmerited love” from God. A person is saved, not because one is good looking, worthy of salvation because of superior intelligence, or an exceptional person. All are saved because God is good, and He loves us, and it has nothing to do with whom we are.
• If we make the first step to believe Jesus died for our sins, God’s love will do the rest. We must go first, not wait to have proof but do as a child does when he accepts what his parents tell him. The child then believes and obeys. We must do the same and trust what God has told us.
  “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” Ephesians 2:8
• We are saved because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. There is nothing we can do to earn God’s approval and allow us to go to Heaven, other than trusting Christ as Saviour. No amount of good works, kindness, or religious mumbo-jumbo will get us higher than the coffin lid. We cannot earn our way because Jesus has already paid our “ticket” to Heaven. Trying to earn salvation is negating the trusting by faith we must have.
  “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:9
• However, doing deeds according to what Scripture commands, doing what we can do for the cause of Christ, or bringing honor to God after we are saved is the right thing to do for Him (Ephesians 1:10). A born-again person has an obligation to serve, not to just sit and soak up God’s goodness.

Many nod their head in agreement with Ephesians 2:8-9 but do not connect what it says to what they may do or believe. The two verses' whole point is there is nothing we can do to earn an eternity in Heaven.

We must trust what God has already done for us. However, even biblical doctrines have been turned into good works people hope will make them worthy of Heaven. Countless people and religious leaders have justified their salvation because “Of course I am going to Heaven, I have been baptized,” “I tithe,” “help the poor,” “live a good life,” or “I obey the rules of my church.” They are good works that will please God after one is saved, not good works to get one saved. Those deeds become conditions added to what God said to do in Ephesians 2:8-9.

It is only faith that will get one God’s promise of Heaven. One cannot add anything to it.

Today’s Thought: 
“Salvation is either by grace or works. The Bible says it is grace!”

Words to Understand:
Commonwealth: a large body of people
Enmity: hostile; being an enemy
Quickened: revived; giving life

Today’s Reading:
Ephesians 2
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 ¶ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
11 ¶ Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 ¶ For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.