Page 63 - Ephesians

Studying EPHESIANS to Know God

Chapter 11 Salvation Present 2:8-10

Let’s look at salvation present. Sanctification. Verses 8-10,

“By grace you have been saved through faith and that not of
yourself; it is the gift of God, not as the result of works that
no one should boast for we are His workmanship created in
Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them.”
We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.
We had a horrible past. How did God quicken you and raise you
up with Christ? I believe verse 10 has the answer, “by created
grace”. I love that expression, “Created in Christ Jesus”. Now
don’t be afraid of that word, and don’t tone it down. God used that
word, because it alone, communicates what is necessary to
rescue people who are dead. People who are “Satan influenced”,
“children of disobedience”, enslaved to their old natures, and
“children of wrath”. Nothing can help these people, except to start
over. They need a “New creation”. We were in such bad
shape, that nothing could be salvaged from the old mess.

A new creation was necessary. The word “Creation” used here,
is the same word used in Genesis. That’s what He began with
when He saved me; nothing. He had nothing to start with.
Grace is not great because of the value it finds in our life. Grace
is great, because of what it brings with it. It starts with nothing,
and then creates us. There is no spiritual evolution. The unsaved
person, the sinner, has no beginning until God creates him.
That’s a new beginning. There’s more theology in that truth, than
in most seminaries. Only God can teach it. If it’s true that God
starts with nothing, like He did in Genesis 1:1, then how can
anyone boast? How can you say, “I was a good boy, and I went
to Church, and got baptized, etc.” That’s why I call it “Created
Grace”.