Grace or Works

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

This particular topic has been debated by many people for many years.  I will not attempt to deal with this passage in its fullness but I do feel led to remind us of the principle that brings hope and peace to each of us.  I am truly thankful that my salvation does not depend on my ability to perform  good works.  There are days that the quality of my works are not as convincing or complete as they are on other days of my life.  The principle found in Ephesians 2 helps me understand that I could never work hard enough or good enough to deserve or receive the full blessings of the Kingdom of God.  This principle does not condone the lack of Christian works or actions in my life rather it allows me to understand that my relationship with Christ does not rest on the foundation of my works.  The opportunity to have a relationship with Christ is built completely on the grace (unmerited favor) of God that is provided through Jesus Christ our Savior.  But many of us struggle with the desire or feeling that we need to "earn" the favor of God by our actions rather than simply trusting the wonderful and marvelous grace of God.  It is true that each of us do not deserve the grace of God but it is also equally true that we can not earn the grace of God based on our own list of personal merits.  Salvation is a gift that God that bestowed upon us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and the completion of that process was His resurrection from the grave.  But the enemy of our soul wants us to stumble over the principle of believing and receiving and become trapped by thinking that we can earn our way into the Kingdom of God.  That trap of satan leads us into the temptation of seeking recognition for our works and efforts that should be willingly offered to God out of a heart that is simply and fully filled with gratitude and thanksgiving for the gift of salvation.  I encourage you to seek for more of God and not become captured by your own efforts and actions that lead to frustration rather than peace with God.