Now, I want to talk to you about a vital topic: salvation. This morning, we read from Ephesians 2:4-10, where we learn that salvation is by grace through faith. It’s essential to understand how we receive this grace—through our faith. The scripture says, “You, He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” This was our state before salvation, dead in our sins, following the ways of the world and the prince of the power of the air—Satan.
We were all sons of disobedience, fulfilling the desires of our flesh, children of wrath. But how can such sinners become holy, blameless, and accepted by God? The answer lies in Ephesians 2:4-10. Salvation by grace through faith involves God’s great love, rich mercy, and the work of making us alive with Christ.
God’s love is the foundation of our salvation. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This immense love is not because we are lovable but because God is love. As 1 John 4:7-10 teaches, God’s love is manifested in the sending of His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Next, we learn that God is rich in mercy. Mercy, defined as compassion for those in trouble, is shown abundantly to us because of God’s great love. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 and 2 Peter 3:9 remind us that God desires all to be saved and come to repentance.
Salvation also involves being made alive together with Christ. Even when we were dead in our trespasses, God made us alive. This transformation occurs through baptism, as explained in Colossians 2:11-13 and Romans 6:3-6. In baptism, we are buried with Christ and raised with Him, our sins forgiven, and we walk in newness of life.
Furthermore, we are raised up together and made to sit in heavenly places with Christ (Ephesians 2:6-7). This exalted position reflects our present spiritual blessings and the future exceeding riches of God’s grace and kindness.
Salvation is by grace through faith, not by works. Ephesians 2:8-9 emphasizes that salvation is God’s gift, not earned by our deeds. Faith, coupled with God’s working, raises us with Christ in baptism. Our obedience to God’s command to be baptized is not earning salvation but receiving it.
Finally, as Ephesians 2:10 states, we are created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand. We are His workmanship, a new creation, diligent in good works to glorify God.
So, are you a child of God today? If not, take the first step towards salvation. If you are and have stumbled, remember that we all fall short, but God’s forgiveness is available through prayer.
