November 10, 2023

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

Your deeds don’t save you. And your deeds don’t keep you saved. Grace does.*

Most Christians have come to terms with the fact that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works. We understand that no matter how hard we work, it is never going to be enough to earn our salvation. No matter how good we are from this point on, we can’t atone for our past. Only the blood of Jesus can do that. We have done nothing to brag about.

But, are we as clear in our understanding of how to stay saved? As another writer warns: “Having rejected works as the means by which we are initially brought in to a state of salvation, let us beware lest we smuggle in works as the means by which we maintain our new position.”* We can’t save ourselves and we can’t keep ourselves saved. Does that sound hopeless to you? I hope not. I hope it doesn’t lead you to think, “I might as well give up.” I hope that you thank God that he has done everything that needs to be done in order to accomplish your salvation. And I hope that out of your grateful heart you will honor him with your faithful service. 

If only we could understand that our good works are expressions of our love for God and not some form of “payback.”*