Pastor Dan Eddy

Ephesians 2: 8-10

The formula for being shaped to live by Grace

10-9-11

 

 

Years ago a member of St. Paul in Rockford wanted us to visit a relative of his in the nursing home. When we arrived we talked about church and our faith in God. The woman had been a regular church goer to many years. At one point I asked her if she ever heard “Heaven is a free gift of God it is neither earned nor deserved.” She had never heard that before. She wanted to know where in the Bible that was taught. So I spoke Ephesians 2:8-10:

 

8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (ESV)

 

These are very familiar verses…so familiar we may have lost the enormous value, the real meaning behind this priceless Word of God. So this morning I am going to use some mathematical formulas to better explain these three verses.  

 

For some this will seem like a review; for others this simple formula will help clarify things; for some this will be new and might be challenging. In any case, I pray God’s Word either affirms, clears up, or offers you new information to help you find greater joy in your relationship with Jesus.

 

How many of you are good at adding and subtracting? I guarantee this will be easier than trying to balance your check book.

 

This formula will help you better understand God’s grace better. Here’s the formula. (Put up formula)

 

Living Faith = Salvation + Works

 

Hmmm…a bit challenging to see. Let me explain. With Salvation…100% of the credit goes to God/0% from us. Grace is the gift. The gift is faith. Faith gives us salvation. Salvation is needed to save us from Hell. Salvation is needed to give us Heaven. That faith gives us the confidence of knowing that through Jesus we have been delivered from God’s wrath at the final judgment. Our sins caused God’s wrath, but grace offers; grace secures, because of faith. Faith alone saves.

 

But this formula shows that living that faith comes from our salvation. Good works are the fruit that comes from our faith.  Good works is learning more about God….Sunday School, Confirmation, Adult Bible study. It’s living our faith…thinking, praying, speaking and doing God’s will, following the commandments. But with all our good works we could never measure up to be given salvation. That’s why it is a separate variable. Besides, I don’t know if you know this but even God gets the credit for all the good we do, because all good comes from Him.

 

Jesus said in Mark 10:18 ESV, “No one is good except God alone.”

 

But the value of our works will never exceed the salvation given, because it’s not the good works that saves you. Faith alone saves. But faith without works is dead, James 2:17 says.

 

Faith is something we do things with. It is not static.

 

However sometimes people are bound and determined to think we must do good works to seal the deal of salvation. Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us otherwise. If you’re one of them…here’s the same mathematical formula expressed in a different way to show good works don’t save you. (Put up formula along side the first)

 

Faith – Works = Salvation

 

Now for some of you this has to be a great relief. It takes the burden of salvation off of us and puts in on Christ.

 

We have 100% assurance that our salvation is given to us by faith alone. No ifs, ands, or buts. Why? Because God wanted to make sure that none of us could get praise for earning our own salvation. If we were going to brag, we would boast about the only one who made it all possible, Jesus Christ.  Besides we overvalue our good works and under value the debt we’ve incurred from our sins. In fact when we try to put our good works in front of our faith to earn our salvation here’s what happens when I move the variables around. (Put up formula next to the others)

 

Works – Faith = -Salvation

 

What happens if works were 50 and faith was 150 what you get? A negative number. -100. Our faith in God is always greater than our works. Like the fruit is always greater than the branch. Without the branch you don’t have fruit; without the vine, that would be Christ, you don’t have the branch.

 

So in this case one is achieving the exact opposite of salvation. Negative salvation is not life in Heaven, but assures us being condemned to suffer in Hell forever.

 

Remember it’s the faith that comes first, which gives us salvation and from that salvation comes works, living grace to glorify God.

 

When you remember grace, remember Jesus’ suffering and death and resurrection, because GRACE is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. (Put up graphic next to the others).

 

GRACE is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense

 

By grace you have been saved through faith…The phrase “having been saved” refers to the events at the cross. Not “might be saved,” not “will be saved,” but “having been saved.” And “having been saved” was given to you at your baptism. This morning’s dining at the Lord’s Supper eating His real body and drinking His true blood assures you that you “have been saved.”

 

That means you have been and are now God’s workmanship. What’s that? God’s workmanship is taking the trash of your sinfulness and turning your life into God’s treasure. That’s what grace has done to us through faith in Christ Jesus.

 

Just as mathematical formulas shapes the way we understand the value of numbers relative to each other…so grace which give us faith shapes the way we understand the value of our salvation…the forgiveness if offers, the power over death it provides, and the perfect life ahead that’s assured. The better we understand the value of grace the more it shapes the way we see our Lord and the good works that come from that faith. You don’t see yourself as trash but Grace shaping you to be God’s treasure.

 

The more we are God’s treasure the more we become His voice, His Hands, His Feet to pass on grace to others. That is what our consecrated steward walk with Christ is all about, mentioned in verse 10. And I would like Lois Brandes to come up here and illustrate what I mean here this morning.

 

Lois Brandes’ testimony….

 

 

Conclusion:

 

Who are the L.K.’s in your life who need to hear or hear again God’s grace? Who in your life still needs to be saved from Hell and be given Grace to be in Heaven? Remember we walk by faith and not by sight.

 

And the good works of our living faith is the object of our walking in Christ. And when we let God’s grace shape our faith instead of us doing it…then that’s when we experience better joy in our lives.

 

God’s blessings as your walk is better shaped by His grace as you more live your faith in Christ. Amen.