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Simply Grace

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

The most fundamental definition of grace is “God’s unmerited favor freely given to us in Jesus Christ.” God shows his favor to us by doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

As this passage shows, death is the real problem with man. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Dead people cannot make themselves alive. In fact, no one can bring something that is dead back to life—that is, no one but God. He proved it by resurrecting Jesus from the dead.

Think about what this means as it relates to salvation. What does a dead person need? Life! If we are dead spiritually, salvation then is receiving life.

Resurrection is the only means for you to have life. This is God’s first priority. Nothing else can happen until a person is made alive spiritually. This is why Jesus came to earth. As he said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

A miracle of new life occurs every time someone turns to Jesus Christ by faith. It happens daily in every corner of the world. Someone dead in sin is born again of the Spirit and is raised to walk in the newness of life. This is the power of the Gospel, the amazing grace God pours out on those who look to him for life.

To be saved by grace means you have been made fully alive with Jesus Christ. Just as he was physically resurrected, you have been given new life.

You were once dead, now you are alive in him.

For further study, read these passages: Colossians 2:9-15; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 5:9-13.

What do you learn about the grace of God from these passages?

Adapted from Simple Gospel, Simply Grace by Bob Christopher.