Worship for Today: I'm saved by faith!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Ephesians 2:8-9,

 

"It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."

 

I realize it is the popular theological position these days to view an exercise of faith as a work and so great lengths and efforts are taken to somehow retain the notion that salvation is by faith- but only as a result of other than a choice anyone makes for themselves. Paul clearly sets the two, faith and works, in opposition to one another. Paul teaches us that salvation is by faith and the exercise of our choice to trust in Jesus Christ is not a work. His letters are rife with this position as he is here. One day these folks will have to give an account to Paul as to why they chose to misrepresent him. Worse, these folks will have to give account to God as to why they felt it necessary to distort his simple gospel message of salvation by faith. Not a position I would want to find myself in.

 

For me, however, this passage is not all about correct theology. It is about the wonderful grace of God and his gift of salvation! He freely credits us with "righteousness" when we choose to trust in him. This righteousness is that quality that makes us acceptable to God, our ticket, so to speak, into his kingdom. We learn that it is not something we earn, something we get if we are "good enough". The death of Jesus Christ on the cross was to pay the penalty for all sins ever committed and there is simply nothing I can do to add to that. Why would I want to? My efforts would only pollute an otherwise pristine and perfect payment for my sins! All given me freely as an expression of God's marvelous love and mercy, his "grace" toward me - when I chose to embrace him in faith!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com