Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

(Eph 2:8) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  Our puny actions of desire to somehow earn or keep salvation, is corrupted by the  of our old nature, How sad that we could possibly think we could add something to the merit of Christ sacrifice and blood! We cannot, for if we could, we would surely in our wicked pride boast! The Lord says, “No!” Salvation only and completely comes through the sacrifice of God’s perfect, sinless, selfless, Son!

  (Eph 2:8) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”  How dull of hearing we must be! I mean, He has already stated that He saved us when? While we were dead in trespasses and sins (not deserving). He has told us the Lord is rich in mercy. Mercy is only needed for the guilty. We are told it is for His glory – not ours. We have been told our presence will forever speak of His grace and His kindness. Yet, He says it again even more plainly and to the point: You didn’t have anything to do with it nor deserve it! It is a gift!  Praise Him! I get it!

(Eph 2:4) “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  (5)  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (6)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (7)  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Notice the purpose – the glory of the Lord for grace and kindness through Jesus – His sacrifice. Not our good, though that is certainly a by-product. Not our happiness, though that too is a by-product. Our sinful nature has a tendency to blind us to the truth. The truth is God is to receive the glory. The center of our life and the direction of our work and love is to be Him!

(Eph 2:4)  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  (5)  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”  Focus on the last two words “in Christ”. Our righteousness, sanctification, inheritance, hope, adoption and glory are all based on the fact that when He saved, the Lord God placed us “in Christ”. Jesus is now my righteousness, my sanctification, my inheritance, my hope, my adoption, and my glory! Praise His Name! !

(Eph 2:4)  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  (5)  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”  We should never doubt anything God says. He said He would give not “life”, but everlasting life. It is the possession of every Born Again Child of God! Here the Lord tells us He sees us there, sitting in the heavenlies! He is not locked in time and space. He literally sees us there. Who are we to call His Word to doubt! Rejoice in this revealed statement of fact!

(Eph 2:4)  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  (5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  (6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”  The Holy Spirit would have us know we have all been raised together. In other words, we have all been saved the same way. No one was worthy; no one earned it; no one was rewarded with salvation. Grace will ever mean: “unmerited favor”. You and I will never have a reason to boast over it or what we have become. It is God’s grace.

(Eph 2:4) “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5)  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”  Did you notice we are given the reason why God is “rich in mercy”: “…Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,…..”  And friends, He doesn’t love us because we are “worthy” of love. No, He loved us while we were dead in sins, the children of wrath (v3d). He loves us because He is love (1 Jn 4:8,16).  

(Eph 2:4) “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5)  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”  “But God”: though we were and deserved to be the “children of wrath”, God intervened on our behalf, (v5) “Even when we were dead in sins….” You see, “mercy” is only needed by the guilty! Friend, we are not simply sinners by nature, we are also sinners by choice! At times each of us choose to do what we know to be wrong in the sight of God! We are guilty! Thank God that He is rich in mercy!