This week we have been probing the great words of Paul in Ephesians 2:8. We have seen that we are saved by grace rather than by meritorious works. Our salvation is a gift from God and something that we should be thankful for every day. As a result of how our salvation came to be, […]
Salvation is a gift given by God. Paul teaches this clearly in Ephesians 2:8. A gift is, “something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation” (Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary). That is what God did for us. He gave us the gift of salvation. He did not do it for compensation, but out of […]
After pointing out that we are saved by grace through faith, Paul emphasizes that salvation is not of our own doing (Ephesians 2:8). It is very important that we understand this. What does Paul mean by this? Well, first we need to understand what Paul is not teaching. He is not teaching that there is […]
Paul teaches us that we have been saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8). However, we have a part in our own salvation, not because God needed our help, but because He desired effort on our part. Sure, God could save us without any action taken on our part at all, but that was not God’s will. […]
Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved…” (Ephesians 2:8). Thank God for His grace. Grace refers to God’s unmerited favor and emphasizes the unearned and undeserved nature of our salvation. God saves man out of the goodness of His heart. The Psalmist once said, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for His is […]
The Hebrew writer said, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3). The salvation that God has provided for mankind is truly a great salvation. Why is it such a great salvation? Let us see. 1. It is a great salvation because it involves a great Savior. Jesus is a great […]
We have been studying this week about the kind of religion that we have. Remember, religion has to do with the service and worship of God. Our religion is based upon the gospel of Christ, which includes the teachings of the New Testament. We know how to serve and worship God because the gospel, which […]
The religion of our Lord, a religion that we have made our own, must be a powerful religion. It must be a religion that has the power to change people. The world needs changing. I am not talking about social change. Although society needs improvement in a variety of ways, I am talking about something […]
What I mean by a positive religion is having a confident belief in the promises of God. We can stand on the promises of God, and the only thing that can stop us from doing so is a lack of faith. It is imperative that we believe our beliefs. There are major teachings in the […]
James 1:27 (ESV) 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James tells us what pure religion is. Before we look at what he says specifically, it is important to see that our concern […]