grace at work

This is written by Paul to the followers of Jesus in Ephesus.

Paul just blows the lid off in these 10 verses.

Paul is like that – it's like he gets cranked up & all this profound, pivotal stuff just comes rolling out!

Here He makes incredible statements about who and what we are in relation to God.

And He puts to bed any concept that we can work our way to connection with God.

It's not about our attempts – is purely God's grace extended to us.

And then there's verse 10, where he uses the word “masterpiece”.

Just read it, & carry it around in your heart today.

Ephesians 2

1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.

2 You used to live in sin,

just like the rest of the world,

obeying the devil,

the commander of the powers in the unseen world.

He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

3 All of us used to live that way,

following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature.

By our very nature we were subject to God's anger,

just like everyone else.

  4 But God is so rich in mercy,

and he loved us so much,

5 that even though we were dead because of our sins,

he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.

(It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)

6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ

and seated us with him in the heavenly realms

because we are united with Christ Jesus.

7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us,

as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

  8 God saved you by his grace when you believed.

And you can't take credit for this;

it is a gift from God.

9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done,

so none of us can boast about it.

10 For we are God's masterpiece.

He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,

so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.