For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves:it is a gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
The grace of God is a major theme of the New Testament. Basically, it is God's unmerited favor and His abundant mercy given to one who has transgressed and broken one or more of God's laws...
and that not of yourselves:it is a gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
The grace of God is a major theme of the New Testament. Basically, it is God's unmerited favor and His abundant mercy given to one who has transgressed and broken one or more of God's laws...
Instead of judgment and punishment, the Sovereign Savior elects to pardon the offender, although the offender may still have to deal with the consequences of his bad and sinful actions.
Grace, or course, is not a person getting away with something. Rather, the guilty individual does not get what he deserves. The Lord, you see, puts His mercy into the equation so that the end result is not what was expected nor warranted.
And "grace vs. works" is a common question which comes up when Christians get together. So today, when someone asked me what grace is and how it fits in with salvation and doing good deeds, I explained that we're not "saved" from our sins by our good works, but only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our works, however, will help to attest to the reality and genuineness of our faith, I added.
Many new Christians often get confused between faith and works. I went through this myself when I was a new believer. But in time, as the Christian matures in his walk with God, and as he becomes more knowledgeable of the Bible's teaching on grace, he will begin to get the correct understanding.
Grace is one of God's most precious blessings. With it, the gift of "eternal life" replaces condemnation, and the promise of heaven replaces the torment of having to spend and eternity in a Christless hell.
D.B.
Grace, or course, is not a person getting away with something. Rather, the guilty individual does not get what he deserves. The Lord, you see, puts His mercy into the equation so that the end result is not what was expected nor warranted.
And "grace vs. works" is a common question which comes up when Christians get together. So today, when someone asked me what grace is and how it fits in with salvation and doing good deeds, I explained that we're not "saved" from our sins by our good works, but only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our works, however, will help to attest to the reality and genuineness of our faith, I added.
Many new Christians often get confused between faith and works. I went through this myself when I was a new believer. But in time, as the Christian matures in his walk with God, and as he becomes more knowledgeable of the Bible's teaching on grace, he will begin to get the correct understanding.
Grace is one of God's most precious blessings. With it, the gift of "eternal life" replaces condemnation, and the promise of heaven replaces the torment of having to spend and eternity in a Christless hell.
D.B.
