That AWANA verse said what?!
In my Ephesians studies, we are currently working through/studying chapter 3…it’s a passage I’ve been sharing with different groups over the past month or so…so I was really excited to reach it in our studies…it’s full of such encouragement, depth, power, and joy!
But let’s put a pin in that for now…because something struck me freshly as we studied that super familiar passage of Ephesians 2: 8-9. Anytime we talk about a familiar passage from a new angle, maybe we should get just a little bit jazzed about it. (insert jazz hands for effect) Honestly, if you really want a more complete picture, go back and read verses 1-10 of chapter 2…better yet, read all of chapter 2 together. Paul may struggle with punctuation, but he doesn’t drop the ball on cohesive thoughts. For that matter, the whole book would only take about 20 minutes to read…so chapter 2 is only roughly 3 minutes of your time.
Anywhooo…in case you need a refresher on the verses in question:
[8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
If you’re like me, you memorized these verses when you were knee-high to a grasshopper…that’s short (and young) for you Yankees. I’m typically horrible with knowing references for verses, but this ain’t one. Additionally, I would also be super clear that God does all the heavy-lifting in my salvation. As a well-known pastor has said many times from the Harmony pulpit, “We do 100% of the sinning, and God does 100% of the saving.” We know the grace is a gift…the salvation is a gift…even the FAITH is a gift! So what could possibly strike a new chord here for Eva?
The answer comes from reading that whole passage that I suggested above…especially going down through verse 10.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Remember, this follows the above verses immediately. Here’s the deal…we don’t EARN God’s favor by doing good works. We do good works because we HAVE God’s favor. This very well may ricochet off me and smack you right in the forehead, friend…well, sorry/not sorry.
The Bible study asked a question that’s really been lingering on my heart: “In what ways do you attempt to earn God’s favor through your works?”
Well, OF COURSE, the answer is ZERO! Right? Who’s with me? Show of hands! Oh ick…I don’t love this.
I’d be killing the verse-quoting/doctrine-speaking contest…is there an adult one of those I can enter :/…salvation is by grace-alone, through faith-alone, in Christ-alone…got it! Boom. Bam. Fireworks. And again, jazz-hands.
But that question…yea, it wasn’t my favorite. Because if I’m not careful…every serving opportunity or ministry or good deed could potentially be me trying to garner favor with God. I think we probably lean this way more often than not…DEFINITELY more than we realize. The majority of us might actually be solid enough not to twist this to include our salvation, but maybe you fall into the trap of hoping that God will be happier with you…or even like you more…if you do this or that, in his name. It reeks of us trying to be the puppet master with God on the strings. I told you…ick. Mind you, I would never, EVER, have put that into words before…never have claimed to try to do that…but maybe my life is more reflective of how I feel, rather than what I know to be true. I do know this…living that way (desperately trying to garner favor with God through good works) is not sustainable. Everything crumbles when we eventually fail or fall.
In reference to this passage, Melissa Kruger said something that’s really been resonating with my own heart, “Grace is a gift! Salvation is free. I can’t do anything to earn my adoption. God has sought me, and His blood has secured me. I’m His. It’s such good news. And yet, the older I get, the more impatient I can be with my need for grace. It was one thing to need grace as a new believer, but it’s just embarrassing to keep needing more and more grace so many years later. Maybe I mistakenly thought by this point I’d be able to get by fine on my own. However, I find myself still having to deal with unkind thoughts, impatient sighs, angry reactions, and critical words (among many other things). I’ll never graduate from my need of grace.”
Hopefully, this little gut check was helpful for you too as, together, we constantly try to recalibrate our hearts to live out of the abundance and lavishness of God’s grace and mercy and love…not to try and merit that favor through anything we may do. That may very well turn those impatient and weary sighs into happy and refreshing ones. The words of this old hymn come to mind…take some time to sit in the sufficiency of Christ in all things…and rest in that.
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase
To added afflictions, He addeth his mercy
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace
His love has no limit, His grace has no measure
His power has no boundary known unto men
For out of his infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again