Our scripture this morning is Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT).
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Paul writes that we are saved by God’s grace, that it is a gift we can’t earn, it can only be accepted. Any good works we do are a response to His love, not a way to curry favor with God or earn “points” toward eternal life. As Paul says “Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done.”
In Philippians 2:13 we read “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” This reinforces the fact that when we accept His forgiveness He has “created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” God has always had a plan for us, we just need to give up our selfish need for control and let Him work in and through us.
In the old hymn Love Divine, All Loves Excelling we sing “Finish then Thy new creation, pure and spotless let us be. Let us see Thy great salvation perfectly restored in Thee.” Jesus brings a new humanity to all God’s children, living and working together as He planned for us from the beginning.
Loving Lord, we are amazed at Your forgiveness offered to us. Still us and fill us, mend us and send us to be Your face and hands to all Your children. Amen.
