Thurs., 3/22/18 Devotion (Eph. 2:4-5)

Today's encouragement comes from Ephesians 2:4 & 5, where Paul wrote these amazing words:

"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) . . . "

If God would so love His people, even before He converted them—how much *more* should we believe in His love of us now, that we are His purchased possession (as Christ’s true church)? Before regeneration, we knew nothing of God, nor His love. If we knew anything (which is unlikely), it was only a fuz-zy notion of wrath.

But now that we are the children of God, let us live as such. Let us put away all foolish ideas—such as, that we could earn God's favor; or that salvation comes by any means other than grace, through faith in Christ.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Whatever change or trouble a child of God meets with, it is all the hell he shall have.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Art of Divine Contentment"]