Ephesians 2

Read Ephesians 2 – There are two teams in the game of life.  We’ve been misled to believe there are many paths a person can take, many spiritual paths, or none.  Those are just fancy clothes on the same old lie, and Satan is the father of lies.

“You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil – the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.”  :2

Jesus is God’s rescue mission for us and for all who turn to him.  “But God is so rich in mercy and he loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.  (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)” :4-5

When I first got saved I thought there must be a third option.  There are so many nice people who were not yet Christians.  I asked my pastor’s wife, and she had so much compassion when she answered me in truth.  There is no third (or fourth, or fifth, or eighty-seventh… etc.) option.  There is God in his loving mercy and power and there is rejection of him which leads to eternal separation and hell.  That was a hard truth for me then, yet it is a reason to share all the more so now.  It is a reason to delight in this life and shine for Jesus because I have so much to be grateful for.

Paul’s letter is clear, Salvation is not a reward we can earn for the good things we have done (:9).  There is no room for pride or arrogance in Christianity, only gratitude, and eagerness to step into the good things he planned for us long ago (:10).

Beloved, live worthy of who you are – God’s masterpiece!