“IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD!”

 Ephesians 2:8-10                                  (ESV)

“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.”

Not being one of the sharpest knives in the drawer is something that I am made more aware of every time I look into Scripture.  As I was reading Ephesians 2:8 recently, the question came into my mind about the statement “IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD”.  Was it GRACE that Paul was speaking of, or was it FAITH that he referred to?  I’ve been told that the greatest commentary for Scripture is Scripture itself, so I that is what I used!  

Over in Ephesians 4:7 it says “But GRACE WAS GIVEN to each one of us ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF CHRIST’S GIFT.”  Since GRACE was given to us ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF CHRIST’S GIFT, it is clear that GRACE must be the IT Paul was referring to in Ephesians 3:8?

However, Romans 12:3  says “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to THE MEASURE OF FAITH THAT GOD HAS ASSIGNED.”  Since ALMIGHTY GOD HAS ASSIGNED THE MEASURE OF FAITH to each person as HE has determined, how is it NOT FAITH that the Apostle Paul was speaking about?

That is when I was gifted understanding from the HOLY SPIRIT!  Both GRACE and FAITH are gifts from GOD!  Psalm 14:2-3 tells us that there is no one who does good, NOT EVEN ONE!  To have our EYES OPENED by the CREATOR to our sinful selves and know that HE even gives the desire to be regenerated is the most humbling thing that I can imagine!  “IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD” that I will not spend an eternity separated from HIM, because of HIS GRACE, and through the FAITH HE has assigned to me!  It is “not a result of works, so that no one may boast”, “IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD”!!!