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. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
The military ethic stresses hard work, commitment, and sacrifice – no free lunches. Warriors must work their way up the ranks. In the military culture, these values have served us well.
But the Apostle Paul, a spiritual warrior, reminds us here that the Gospel message is different. All have sinned-no exceptions. Paying the penalty for sin is beyond human capability. Only God can satisfy his system of justice, and He has done this by sending his Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. He paid the full price.
So what does this mean for you? First, it means that if you’re trying to clean up your act before you come to God, don’t wait. You can’t earn your salvation. There’s no way.
Secondly, there should no pride associated with our salvation. We don’t deserve, we can’t earn it- it’s simply by God’s mercy and grace that we receive it.
Our part? We must accept the work of Christ through faith. We must believe the message.
