Throughout my life, one of the truths that took me the most time to understand was that of grace.
I often heard the phrase we are saved by grace, and although I understood intellectually what this meant, I had not been able to internalize it in my heart.
Today, I set out to talk to you from heart to heart about what it means to be saved by grace.
To introduce the topic, I invite you to read a short bible text.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8 – 10
In my country, we have a saying, “of that which is good, they don’t give that much”.
This is our way of saying that it is wise to be careful when something seems too good because it quite possibly is not true.
This can be a way of expressing our natural tendency towards reciprocity.
Wanting to contribute something equivalent in exchange for something else.
Generally, it seems that no one likes to feel that they don’t deserve what they receive.
But that’s exactly what grace is all about.
Receive something impossible to pay for free.
With God, “of that which is good, they DO give that much”.
Our redemption was so difficult to achieve, and so costly, that it was impossible for us to achieve it.
Therefore, since our works were not sufficient to obtain what is priceless, God acquired our salvation for us and offers it to us for free if we want to take it.
When this bible verse tells us that we are saved by grace, what it means is that we are saved free of charge, as a gift.
The vehicle used to deliver that divine gift is faith in the one who acquired that gift for us.
Faith in Jesus.
To be saved by grace means to place our trust in Jesus, and to receive the gift of salvation free of charge from His hand.
Giving up our expectations of having to pay for it.
Giving up our self-confidence, and stop thinking that our actions can earn us some special favor from God.
Something important that this bible text also reminds us, is that since salvation is not something we can earn or do for ourselves, but something God does for us completely, it is absurd to think that we are somehow less sinful, or better than others.
The reality is that all of us, regardless of what we have done, have the same need for forgiveness and salvation from God.
This beautiful bible text is the demonstration of that beautiful truth.
Salvation is by faith and not by works.
On his own merits, no one could be saved, therefore salvation must be a gift from God.
God wants to save us because He is good.
Because He is love.
It’s not something God wants to reserve for an exclusive elite of the best human beings.
It’s something He wants to do for every person who allows it.
It’s a matter of accepting that we have a father who loves us and receiving his hug.
Let go of our skepticism by thinking consciously or unconsciously that God is going to manipulate us for giving us something, or that he is going to throw it in our face.
To realize that God delights in helping us.
This is why salvation is also a life experience.
A life lived in the best possible way.
Lived with God.
We are the work of God’s hands, made new creatures by believing and trusting in Christ.
From His source comes all the good we do and are capable of doing.
From Him comes our holiness and our integrity.
Not from ourselves.
The experience of salvation will take us down paths of holiness.
We will draw closer and closer to God, and we will become more and more like Him.
We will like what He likes, and we will dislike what He dislikes.
Salvation has always been by grace, it is and always will be an organic and natural process when we truly surrender our lives to God.
Dear reader, I cannot close these lines without first reminding you that God loves you.
Without inviting you to accept his love and salvation in Jesus.
I hope these words have been a blessing to your life.
And what do you think? Do you want to be saved by grace? Share in the comments.
A hug, God bless you.
