Ephesians 2:8-9

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.

This verse comes against our modern way of thinking. In our society success is based on what you do and how well you have done it. “If I get a job and work hard I will be successful.” You may not have said this specifically, but I know you’ve thought it. We all have. Our culture teaches us this from the time we are born. If you have a nice car and a big house or if you have nice clothes and “cool” toys then you will be successful. Society’s idea of success is based on material possession, which can come and go like the wind.

Then there’s salvation. Some people think, “If I am a good person it will all work out in the end.” We seem to think that our eternity is based on what we ourselves do, that if we are nice and do good things we will be saved. Let me tell you: It doesn’t matter how good you are or how much “stuff” you have. None of that matters.

Our success in life comes not from anything we did or ever could do, but from Christ Jesus and what He did. On our own we could never measure up to God’s standard. It is by His grace that that we are saved. Our salvation is not based on what you’ve done or ever could do; it still comes down to the grace of God. We receive it by faith and it is a free gift. Salvation is not something any one of us could ever deserve. It takes away our boasting rights and our ideas of success and salvation and puts it all on Jesus. Believe in Him and you will be saved.