Bible Verse of The Day – 2-23-24

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

I don’t know you, but I’m willing to bet that you probably live your life with the best intentions, trying to do good in everything.

I know that is what I do. I try my hardest to treat others the way I would like them to treat me; with respect and common courtesy.

And it is good that we do that!

But here is the thing we need to understand; doing so will not save us.

It will not cause God to see us as special.

It will not cause God to see us as worthy of His forgiveness.

It will not cause God to reward us for our good behavior.

We can live our lives giving generously to the poor, helping the elderly, visiting the sick, and finding many other ways to treat people kindly.

But none of those things will act as a penance for our sins, paving the way to eternal life for us. They will not save us.

It is only by God’s grace that we are saved.

It is only by His unfathomable mercy that He made a way for us to be saved, through faith in Christ.

What is this thing called grace?

It is unmerited (undeserved, unearned) favor, shown to us by God because of His incredible love for us; for you, and for me.

And it is because of this fierce love for us that He also shows us His mercy, choosing not to punish us when punishment is clearly due as payment for our many sins.

That mercy means that we will not get the punishment that we deserve.

So, He has made a way by which He will show us favor that we don’t deserve, and He will withhold punishment that we do deserve.

How can this happen?

It is made possible by the blood of Christ, which was shed on the cross for you and for me.

We need to recognize our sinful condition, sincerely repent (turn from our sin), ask God to forgive us, and let the cleansing blood of Christ be applied to us by trusting in Jesus, who died for us.

It is by this, God’s grace, that we can be saved.

Let us take Him at His word and never think that our good works can save us.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

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