God's Gift

Ephesians 2:8-9

In the church we use words – terms – and we use them so much we begin to assume everyone knows what they mean. Well, certainly we should not assume people who aren’t regularly in church should know what the words mean. And probably, even those who are regulars, may not really know what some of the common “church words” mean, and how they are (or should be) important in their lives.

One of the most important of those words is: saved.  We use it a lot in church. “I’m saved!” “Are you saved?” “Would you like to be saved today?”

But do you know what it really means? Here is how you can tell if you know what it really means:

• Do you understand what saved means well enough to explain it to someone else?
• Can you tell someone how to be saved?

Supposedly, one of the most important parts of being a Christian is that we are saved! One of the most important things we are supposed to do as Christians is “save” others!

How can we do that if we don’t really know what the term means? How can we even be sure we are saved ourselves?

If you struggle with answering any of these questions, if you have ever wondered if you are truly saved, if you have no idea how salvation really happens, or if it’s even important or not, then this for you! If you would like a concise definition of saved, then this is for you. If you would like to have a simple way of explaining to someone what being saved is, then you will appreciate this passage.

God inspired Paul to write a book to the Christians in Ephesus. In this little book we find a great definition/explanation of saved.  The focus of Ephesians, chapter 2, is: SALVATION. And no passage better explains this idea than verses 8-9 of chapter 2.

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift - not from works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Salvation (as defined in Webster’s Dictionary) means: preservation from destruction; rescue.

What a great definition!

Cars are stolen every day, all across the country. But one incident was rather unique. Police in one small town in California were staging an intense search for a stolen vehicle and its driver – even to the point of placing announcements on the local radio station to contact the thief. On the front seat was a box of crackers that, unknown to the thief, were laced with poison. The car owner had intended to use the crackers as rat bait. Now the police were more interested in apprehending the thief to save his life than to recover the car. So often when we run from God, we think it is to escape his punishment. But what we are actually doing is eluding his rescue.

Truly, God preserves us from destruction – He rescues us – when we are saved!  This passage tells us how God chooses to do this.  If you can remember three words, you will understand and be able to relate to another, all you need to know about being saved.

The first word to remember is…

I. GRACE

“For by grace you are saved…”

We must all understand this: God was not required to offer salvation to anyone. He is perfectly justified in condemning all to an eternity separated from Him.

Our birth as sinners, our actions – choosing to sin – both require punishment. “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23).  Yet, God has offered an escape. He has offered a rescue. He offers preservation from destruction!

The very definition of saved is what God offers; and He does so “by grace.”

One of the most well-known verses in the Bible says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believed in Him would not perish, but be saved!” (John 3:16).  Jesus is the way of escape. He is the means of rescue. God gave His Son Jesus so you and I, and anyone who would believe in Him, could receive preservation from destruction; through Jesus we could be saved!

He didn’t have to, but because He “so loves” you, He wanted to!  God’s benevolence bestowed on the undeserving. That is GRACE; and by that, we can be saved.

Second word to remember is…

II. FAITH

“For by grace you are saved through faith…”

God’s part in someone being saved is GRACE. The person’s part – your part, my part, anyone’s part - is FAITH.  Without FAITH you cannot be saved.

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

You absolutely must have and exercise FAITH to be saved.  "Believe in your heart" – this is FAITH. It’s not something you see. It’s not something you hold; it’s not a math problem you solve; it’s not something you necessarily fully understand. It IS something you accept – you believe because God said it.

FAITH is believing; not hoping, but with confidence and conviction, believing. Not belief based on you or someone else, or anything of this world; but belief based on God, on His love and trustworthiness.

By the way, without FAITH it is impossible for you – or anyone – to please God.

Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exist and rewards those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Some suggest that FAITH is foolish. They say it is the same as believing in spite of the facts; or believing when there is nothing to believe.  Are they right? What is faith?

Biblical FAITH is not merely intellectually agreeing with the truth. The Bible says: “The demons also believe – and they shudder.” (James 2:19).  Biblical FAITH means: believing God and acting accordingly. Actions based on your belief…this is true FAITH.

• It means accepting as true the Biblical message that God by grace has provided rescue; has provided preservation from destruction, for you.
• It means acting on that belief by committing your life to Jesus, letting Him save you; then stopping any attempts to earn your own salvation.
• It means continuing to act on your belief by letting Jesus lead you as Lord each day…letting Him guide in every decision, letting Him determine what is right or wrong for you, and trusting Him in all things.

GRACE is God’s part in us being saved; FAITH is ours.  “For by grace you are saved through faith…” That is, by believing and acting accordingly.

The third word to remember, in order to remember what being saved means, is…

III. GIFT

"For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift.”

Did you notice: both parts of you being saved – God’s grace and your faith – are GIFTS from Him?

God gives you His GRACE; and He gives you the FAITH you need in order to believe. Truly, both the grace and the faith are a GIFT from God.  God literally hands preservation from destruction to you. All you have to do is open your heart and accept His free GIFT…and be saved.

Being saved simply is this:

• trustfully accepting from God what He has provided (even when you don’t totally understand what you are receiving); and,
• letting God give what He alone can provide (giving up on being able to provide rescue for yourself).

SALVATION is something you RECEIVE! It is a GIFT. God’s Gift to you!  In verse 9, Paul (almost being redundant) stresses this GIFT aspect of SALVATION:

"it is God's gift - not from works, so that no one can boast."

You have done nothing to earn salvation, either by being or doing “good.” All of mankind is equal before God as sinners, deserving punishment. No one may boast or point with pride to personal accomplishments in the area of SALVATION.  For no one has accomplished anything here…it is all from God! He has done it all.

Now perhaps these three words will help us remember what it means to be saved; how to be saved; to make sure we are saved; and even how to help others be saved! Here it is in a nutshell:

By GRACE – God’s unmerited favor – you have been saved through FAITH – believing and acting based on your believing; and not of yourselves, it is all God’s GIFT to you!

The reformer, Martin Luther, once wrote:

It is one thing to say, "Christ is A Savior." It is quite another thing to say, "He is MY Savior." The devil can say the first; but only the truly saved can say the second.

Is Jesus YOUR Savior? Are you saved? Have you received God’s gift, His rescuing you from the punishment your sins deserve?  Has this passage helped confirm that you are saved? Do you actively live based on faith – do you walk faithfully and obediently with Jesus each day?

Maybe you need to recommit yourself; at some point He saved you, but you’ve been doing your own thing. Not only is He your Savior – your rescuer – He is Lord. Commit to yield to Him; to follow Him.

These three words can help you share with someone else how they can be saved. How amazing would that be; to be used by God in such an amazing, eternity-impacting way? So commit to memory these three words.  Truly this is...

One small passage that can give you assurance, and help you bring others to Jesus!