“BUT GOD” “BY GRACE!”

Ephesians 2:1-10                      (ESV)

“1 And YOU WERE DEAD in the trespasses and sins

2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, FOLLOWING THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-

3 among WHOM WE ALL ONCE LIVED in the passions of our FLESH, carrying out the DESIRES OF THE BODY and the mind, and WERE BY NATURE children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

4 “BUT GOD”, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which HE loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with CHRIST-“BY GRACE” you have been saved-

6 and RAISED US UP WITH HIM and seated us with HIM in the heavenly places in CHRIST JESUS,

7 so that in the coming ages HE might show the immeasurable riches of HIS grace in kindness toward us in CHRIST JESUS.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is NOT YOUR OWN DOING; it is the GIFT of GOD,

9 NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, so that no one may boast.

10 For WE ARE HIS workmanship, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.”

Intentionally, I am not offering any commentary on these Scriptures.  I will only offer excerpts to emphasize what GOD is saying.  You tell me where we are “good enough” to escape the punishment of hell....without HIM???

“YOU WERE DEAD, FOLLOWING THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, AMONG WHO WE ALL ONCE LIVED.  BUT GOD, BY GRACE, RAISED US UP WITH CHRIST JESUS.  AND THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING, NOT A RESULT OF WORKS.  WE ARE HIS, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.”