The Gift of Grace

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

Imagine a little child on Christmas morning, eyes wide with wonder, receiving a gift far beyond anything they expected. The child didn’t earn it with chores or perfect behavior – it was given out of love. In the same way, Paul reminds us that our salvation is a gift, not a reward for good behavior. “By grace you have been saved” means we did nothing to deserve God’s love or rescue; He saved us simply because He is gracious. It’s not our own doing, so none of us can boast about earning heaven. This truth is central to our faith – “by grace, through faith – as a gift” – and it is Christianity’s best gift to the world.

Grace is God’s undeserved favor, embodied in Jesus Christ. He lived, died, and rose again so that anyone who trusts in Him can be swept into heaven “just because” of His love. We often battle the feeling that we must do more to earn God's love, or we carry shame, thinking we’ve failed too greatly. But the gospel declares the opposite: God’s love comes to us unearned and free. If you have even a mustard seed of faith in Jesus, that is enough – because it’s not the size of our faith, but the greatness of our Savior that secures our salvation. Jesus has already “got the job done” for us on the cross.

Have a great week.

-Pastor Corey