A gift from God

"You were once dead because of your failures and sins. You followed the ways of this present world and its spiritual ruler. This ruler continues to work in people who refuse to obey God. All of us once lived among these people, and followed the desires of our corrupt nature. We did what our corrupt desires and thoughts wanted us to do. So, because of our nature, we deserved God's anger just like everyone else.

But God is rich in mercy because of his great love for us. We were dead because of our failures, but he made us alive together with Christ. (It is God's kindness (grace) that saved you.) God has brought us back to life together with Christ Jesus and has given us a position in heaven with him. He did this through Christ Jesus out of his generosity to us in order to show his extremely rich kindness in the world to come. God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God. It's not the result of anything you've done, so no one can brag about it. God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do. Ephesians 2:1-10

I gave my life to the Lord. I was baptized. I am a member of the church. I have faith. I believed. I repented. I...thankfully, know that none of what I just wrote is true.

I love the scripture above. It puts everything in perspective about me. I have nothing to do with my salvation and I love knowing that! Because if it was me and the power I have to change my self by believing, repenting, confessing, or any works, I would never have changed.

We want so much to brag about our walk with God...or should I say, I want! I love doing good things for the Lord, but I know in my heart, I always seems to wonder if I do good enough, will others like me more or will God bless me more for being good. Will God see that I am a capable servant and warrior for Him? Will He stop what He's doing and call the angels and say..."Look! Look at that guy! He's really making things happen by being so good and choosing all the right things to do! He is the perfect disciple! He repented and believed and gave his heart to me!"

It's a hard thing to understand. We know we have choices to make. To repent. To confess. To steal or not to steal. Yet, Scripture clearly shows us that God is the one who chooses to make us a good vessel or a bad one. With warts or with perfect skin. Yes...HE is the potter and we are the clay. So, how do we take the Scriptures that say..."repent, believe, confess, and justify them with the Scriptures like the one above that says...YOU don't have anything to do with it! Being saved is a gift from God. All I know is that by faith, I believe my choices are only the result of the gift from God.

The translation I used above is the "God's Word" translation. I love the line they translated as; "God saved you through faith as an act of kindness." Now the questions for you and I to search for is "Whose faith? Yours? or God's?"