Ephesians 2:8-10
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. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
The Apostle Paul proclaims that we have been saved by Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, not by anything we do or earn. Still, in verse 10, he states that we are created for good works. How can we reconcile the idea that we are saved by God’s grace alone, not anything we do, with the clear teaching that we are created for good works?
The works Paul speaks of are not a way of earning salvation but a reflection of our new life in Jesus and a response to God’s overflowing love. We respond to Jesus's sacrifice with good works done in gratitude for what He has done for us. In other words, salvation produces good works; good works do not produce salvation.
Prayer prompt: Lord, thank you for giving me the free gift of salvation.
Written by Luke Robinson