I love this passage of scripture! I will read and re-read it aloud in first-person, meditating on just what it is saying about what was freely given to me when I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and what He accomplished for me at Calvary! Hallelujah!
Ephesians 2:8-10 (AMP)
8 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;
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.]
10 For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
How marvelous this is!! I am so thankful for the freedom that I have in Jesus Christ, knowing that I don’t have to perform with religious and denominational rules to be in right standing with God, but that Jesus fully met every demand for me and He made me righteous.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (AMP) For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].
We are righteous, approved, acceptable and in right relationship with God only by the finished work of Jesus Christ at the cross. He accomplished this for every person, for all time.
Hebrews 10:10 (ERV) Jesus Christ did the things God wanted him to do. And because of that, we are made holy through the sacrifice of Christ’s body. Christ made that sacrifice one time—enough for all time.
Oh, how I love Him! And the really cool thing is, this free gift of salvation is available to everyone who will freely receive it! It’s yours for the taking!
If you haven’t done that and would like to, it is a very simple thing! Romans 10:9 says, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
You receive it by faith and it is as easy as saying, “Jesus, I acknowledge that You are the Son of God and that You died on the cross for my sins and was raised from the dead. I receive You as my Lord and Savior and I thank You for the free gift of salvation that You have so freely given me. In the name of Jesus, I declare that I am born again!”
You are now a new creation, recreated in Christ Jesus. This new birth took place in your spirit. You are a three part being: spirit (which is the real you), soul (your mind, will and emotions), and your body. Your spirit is what was recreated in Christ Jesus by receiving Him and it is sealed by the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1:13 (NKJV) In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Now begin to read the Bible and find out what you have received and who you are now in your spirit. The soul (mind, will and emotions) must be renewed by reading the Bible.
Romans 12:1-2 (CEV) Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That’s the most sensible way to serve God. 2 Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.
Don’t read it as a religious exercise! Read it and allow the Life of God that is in it change you from the inside out! It will truly be life-changing!
Blessings in the name of Jesus!
