Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Tues., 10/2/12 Devotion (Eph. 2:8-9)

Today's encouragement comes from Ephesians 2:8 & 9, where we find these remarkable words:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of your-selves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

What?! We are not saved by what we do?! We are not redeemed by be-ing good?! You mean, God is not impressed with our self-righteous-ness?! Indeed, not. The elect church is saved by grace through faith in Christ. Otherwise, we could "boast" of our works, and hold God hos-tage, and claim some credit for our salvation.

Let all the redeemed of the Lord affirm the gospel truth of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Every other "gos-pel" stinks to high heaven.

[Puritan quote of the day: "To be rich in goods and rich in goodness is a happy condition." --Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit"]