Gracious Renovation: The Work of Grace | Ephesians 1.11-12

It is helpful to remember that the experience of the people of Israel in the Old Testament is a picture of our own redemption and life with God. God redeemed His people from slavery and brought them out of Egypt to make them into worshippers. Redemption marked their identification as God’s people, but their UNION with God didn’t automatically make them a holy people; so he gave them the law. The law not only served as a guide to godliness, it provided a means to deal with their ungodliness—the GRACIOUS substitutionary atonement of animals. Through their obedience to God’s law (a gift of grace), they were deemed forgiven and righteousness so as to COMMUNE with God.

In a similar way, through Jesus life-death-and resurrection, God lovingly acts to save sinners, to love his enemies, to die for the ungodly. THROUGH THE SACRIFICE of Jesus, God forgives the sins of his children past, present, and future. He does not ignore, excuse, or minimize their adoption files full of rebellion, rather, he pays the ultimate price to redeem them, and give them a sinless performance record. Through Jesus God makes us alive, and declares us both innocent and righteous. By grace, we go from fear-filled orphans to hope-filled sons. This is God’s ACT of Grace. Ephesians 2.8-9 8 For 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. The grace of the cross secures our UNION with God. But God's grace doesn't stop at the cross or the empty tomb.  God's WORK of grace continues in developing a greater COMMUNION with Him. Read More