Ephesians 2:10 reads “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” But doesn't that contradict what comes two verses earlier: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
10 It is God who has worked in us to make us what we are. He has given us a new life because we are united with Christ Jesus. He saved us so that now we can do good things in our lives. Those are good things that he has already prepared for us to do.
Father, I am not who I want to be yet, but thankfully I'm not who I used to be. Thank you for preparing good works for me and for using me for Your glory. I know it is because of Your loving kindness and Your unfailing grace that I am capable of any good works. I would LOVE to connect with you!
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 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.
Ephesians 2:1-10 speaks of how God sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins and trespasses. If we break down this sacred text down verse by verse we are able to identify the ideas of Christ as our saviour and God's mercy and grace.
God has appointed good works to be done by his people, but the intention is not that they should be saved by them, but that they should walk in them; and this being God's pre-ordination, as it shows that predestination is not according to good works, since good works are the effects of it.
Chapter 2 emphasizes the theme of salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. First, Paul describes the process of salvation as the result of God's grace through faith (Ephesians 2:1–10). Human effort, and human goodness, are completely ineffective in our salvation.
The redeemed will enjoyed eternity with God in the news heavens and earth only because God has been gracious to them. He did not give them what they deserved as children of wrath. Instead, he lavished his love upon them and adopted them as sons. And this he did for no other reason than because he is merciful and kind.
Ephesians reminds us to focus on God as the giver of the good gifts we have received. While a faithful response is needed on our part, we can't take the credit for what God is doing in our lives. This teaches us humility and trust.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the ...
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
So, the key to rejoicing always is to pray continually — that is, to lean on God all the time and to call to him repeatedly and often. Never give up looking to him for help. Come to him repeatedly during the day, and come often. Make the default state of your mind a Godward longing and a Godward thankfulness.
The peace offered by the world is an empty promise and can only bring temporary comfort. God's peace is a permanent peace offered by the only One who can be trusted to keep his Word and heal our sin.
In other words, just as God's power is His love is His wisdom is His eternality is His knowledge, and so on, our "heart" is our "soul" is our "mind" is our "strength." To love God with all of our strength, then, is to love God with all our being, which involves the whole man, both body and soul.
Paul writes to the church at Ephesus and shows how Jesus' work on the cross should permeate every aspect of their everyday lives, changing how they serve and love one another despite their differences.
The message of Ephesians for the global church is that in Christ God has reconciled to himself all things by his free grace, and in so doing he has enabled humans all over the world to be reconciled with one another.
We focus on all the times we messed up and the people we hurt and let down. We need to see ourselves as God sees us. We are forgiven, chosen, and unconditionally accepted by Him. Nothing that we can do, no power or entity, can ever separate us from the love of God, which is given to us through Jesus Christ.
His main purposes were to help these converts grow in their spiritual knowledge of God and the Church (see Ephesians 1:15–18; 3:14–19); to promote unity, particularly between Gentile and Jewish Saints (see Ephesians 2:11–22; 4:1–16; 5:19–6:9); and to encourage the Saints to withstand the powers of evil (see Ephesians 4 ...
Ephesians 2:4-10 emphasises the saving mercy and graciousness of God as the foundation on which the Christian community is built.
2:25), faith is also a supernatural gift of God. Ephesians 2:8–9 affirms this: “By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
This verse literally reads, “You keep him in “PEACE, PEACE” whose mind is stayed on you.” The definition for “Shalom” is to be well, happy, friendly, healthy and prosperous. It means to be whole or complete. Perfect peace is complete peace and is guaranteed when we focus on Jesus.
12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Third, to pray without ceasing means that we put everything in God's hands. Paul told us to be anxious about nothing but to be prayerful about everything (Philippians 4:6). Therefore, we must seek Him and seek to pray about everything in life. My life is immeasurably better when I am prayerful about everything.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-17) To “pray without ceasing” means to have our minds always on the things of God, to be in constant communication with him, so that every moment may be as fruitful as possible.