Ephesians 2:8-9

"For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8.

Yes... Paul is repeating what he said earlier because this single issue is so vital to all of the New Testament and the work of Christ... And, God's plan, all along! He, Paul, and all of the writers of the New Testament, through The Spirit Of God, are presenting to us... the New Deal... The New Covenant (a new formal alliance or agreement made by God)(is not added too, but replaces any previous...). And so, what is vital to understand about this New Covenant is that we understand it is (1) free... (2) is because of God's grace, which has been explained as the fruit of God's Love for us... (3) it's unmerited, which means we've NEVER done anything thought to be deserving of His Love... (4) that by just accepting (through faith) ALL of what the agreement says (from Matthew to Revelation), we will be saved from eternal death (being alive forever as a spirit, but imprisoned in a place (hell) never again to feel the grace, nor presence of the Almighty God) (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation).

9. Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

People who deserve hell obtain heaven because of God's love that flows from what was done at the Cross (1 Cor 1:18). This provision costs everything to the Giver and nothing to the receiver. This FACT stands in opposition to flesh! This goes against the natural bend of ALL mankind, unsaved and even the saved. All the enmity of natural men is against this truth. People Want to be saved by their own morality, and all sorts of things that they put instead of salvation by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The reason we do this is because we don't understand what love really means. This is about love! We do not have nor are capable of producing this kind of love, therefore, how are we to understand this FREE GIFT until we accept it. Do you see, now, why we must approach God's Word from the premise that "It's about His Love for us"?

Let's pick up with Ephesians verse 2:10 next time.

I love you.