Ephesians 2:1-10
New International Version
Made Alive in Christ 2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 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. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Monday - February 21
As the Apostle Paul wrote, “You have been saved by grace through faith.” You have been given salvation as a free gift because of God’s grace (unmerited favor) that He holds towards you. You receive that gift through faith, which is trusting and believing that God’s gift is “for you.” THAT is incredible! That unmerited favor was and is still given to us through Jesus Christ. We will not find God’s unmerited favor in anything or anyone else. That Gospel (“good news”) makes us into something new. The Gospel re-creates us into God’s children. We received that good news in our baptism, we hear it in sermons and receive it in Holy Communion. God has made you into His child and is building His kingdom in you through faith!
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