April 23, 2021
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
It’s a slippery slope. We read passages like the one above or hear messages from pastors and teachers that tell us that we are saved by grace, but our pull is to try to earn favor with God. There is something innate in our human nature that draws us toward self-sufficiency—perhaps it’s our survival instincts. Regardless, when we lose sight of the means of our salvation, we will inevitably slip into the habits of works-righteousness.
In contrast, when we soberly reflect on sin’s alluring power and of how were are incapable of overcoming our self-centered ways, we begin to grasp the extent of God’s love for us revealed in the “gift” of his only Son. What we could not do for ourselves, he has done for us. This grace, this unmerited favor, is our safeguard from boastful works-righteousness.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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