Ephesians 2:1-10

There are not many English teachers that would give the Apostle Paul a very good grade on his grammar. He begins sentences but never seems to finish them. In the Greek, the first seven verses of chapter two are one long sentence. It is a one hundred twenty four word sentence with a subject that does not appear until verse 4 and the main verbs follow in verses 5-6. Some of the newer translations of the Bible have broken these verses into several sentences. We have to forgive Paul because he was writing from the heart.

In Ephesians 2:1-10, the apostle Paul sets before us the doctrine of justification, the driving force of the Reformation – sola gratia, sole fide, soli Deo Gloria- "by grace alone, through faith alone, to God alone be glory." Some scholars have called this passage the magna carta of God’s grace. Paul reminds the Ephesians of the great work God has done in their lives. He describes their state as being “dead in their transgressions and sins.” We, like the Ephesians, have walked in the ways of this world and not of God’s kingdom. Paul tells us that God has made us alive with Christ and raised us from the dead with Christ. (Eph. 2:4-6) It is by grace that you have been saved through faith—and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God—(9) it is not of works, therefore no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We must not miss what verse 10 says, “We are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared in advance in order for us to walk in them.” It is true we are saved by faith, but “faith without works is dead”. (James 2:17) We are not saved to produce good works; we are saved to live by the good works that God by His Holy Spirit reproduces in us.

Many of you have seen the TV show Extreme Makeover. God sees you as his workmanship – his work of art. What does it mean for you that you are saved by grace not by your works? How has God done a makeover in you?