In our sermon, SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH (Eph. 2:4-10), we looked at the most important message in the Bible.
Even though all people are born “dead in trespasses and sins… [and are] children of [God’s] wrath,” the Creator did not want to send anyone to hell because He is also “rich in mercy” (Eph. 2:1-4a; Rom. 3:23; John 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9, etc.). With underserved kindness, motivated by “His great love with which He loved us,” God acted. The Bible shows us, “while we were still sinners… [and] when we were [still His] enemies,” God made the sacrifice no other could make. He sent His Son to die for us (Eph. 2:4-5; Rom. 5:8-10, etc.). He provided the only way His holy justice could be satisfied (apart from us perishing eternally in the lake of fire) through the incomprehensible gift of His Son as payment for our sin (Eph. 2:5b; 1 John 1:9-10; Matt. 10:28; 25:41; 1 Cor. 6:20; 2 Cor. 9:15, etc.).
This love not only makes those who come to Him by grace through faith “alive,” but it raises us up and seats us “together in heavenly places” spiritually “in Christ” right now (Eph. 2:6). And it will also one day be shown to us in “the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness” forever “in the ages to come” (Eph. 2:7). God’s Word shows us here His purpose in redeeming us is not simply to rescue us from hell, as great as a work as that is. His ultimate purpose in our salvation is that for all eternity the church will glorify God’s grace (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14, etc.).
Once again, this is all by grace… “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9; 1 John 1:12-13; Rom. 3:22; 4:5, etc.). As His own, we are also His “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which [He has] prepared beforehand” for us to walk in for His glory and namesake (Eph. 2:10; Rom. 12:1-2; Heb. 12:1-2; 13:16; Titus 2:14; 3:8, etc.).