EMMDEV 2011-09-23 [Ephesians] Vertical Beam 3: ...where credit is due

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 not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians2:6-9

Yesterday we defined GRACE as God's Riches At Christ's Expense.
In today's passage Paul gives us another way of seeing grace: It is UNMERITED FAVOUR. God has shown His incredible "kindness" and the "incomparable riches" of His grace. This grace is the "gift of God" - it cannot be earned and none of us can claim to have deserved it.

This idea that our salvation is unearned, undeserved and unmerited is vitally important:

1. It means that we are completely dependent on God.

2. It highlights His goodness!

3. It prepares the way for the next section that deals with the Horizontal Beam of the cross - our human relationships. Unmerited grace means that we are all equal before God, all of us are saved by His goodness alone and none of us deserved to be saved more than another.

Somebody described it like this: "Sharing our faith is one beggar telling another where he found bread!"

In 2Corinthians10:17 Paul says "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

Let's lift our hearts in praise to the God who saved us even though He didn't have to! Let's boast about a God who gave us everything even when we had nothing!

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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/