Not of Works

Ephesians 2:8-9 " For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast."

A preacher once said that if every good work that you or I did were a step, we could never build a stairway high enought to reach Heaven. The Bible is very clear on the fact that we are not saved through works. We are saved by faith by accepting the gift of God. The gift of God was salvation through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible explains very clearly the reason for our salvation not being of works. If our salvation were of works we could stick out our chest and say, "Look what I've done!". God doesn't want man to take the glory for what He has done. Examine what your church teaches about salvation. If your church teaches that works are a requirement for your salvation then you may need to reevaluate your church situation. Works will definitely follow salvation, but they are not a requirement for salvation. Accept the free gift of God and be saved today!

Redeeming the Time

Eph 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Paul reminds the believers at Ephesus that they must walk circumspectly.  The word circumspectly means, cautiously; with watchfulness every way.  The Christian is to walk cautiously realizing that we have a very real enemy that is very adept at setting traps and snares before us.  Circumspectly means that we have to be watchful every way.  The things we do, the things we say, the places we go, the thoughts we think.  As Christians we have to guard our conversation (Manner of Life).  We represent the Lord Jesus Christ and we don't want  to do anything to bring reproach upon Him.  We are to walk as the wise, not as fools.  The world is full of people that want to chart their own course and live their lives according to their own desires.  To be wise we have to seek God's guidance and leadership in our lives.

Paul warns the believers to redeem the time.  One of the definitions for the word redeem is "To capture".  As believers we are to capture the time.  We realize that time is fleeting and we only have such a short time here in this life to carry out the work that God has called us to.  The days are evil because they have a way of filling our lives with temporal things that distract us from caring for the eternal things.  James 4:14 "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."  We don't know the span of our life.  We have to be diligent about doing the work that God has given us to do.  We don't know if we have another tomorrow.  Jesus understood this concept during His earthly ministry, John 9:4 "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."  Just as the night was coming for Jesus to complete His earthly ministry the night is falling for us.  There will be a time when we will lay down this body and leave this life behind and go out into eternity to face God.  Let's accomplish the work that God has given to us!

Walk in Love

Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 

What a wonderful privilege we have as believers to follow God.  Many count it a chore, but we should consider it to be one of the greatest blessings of our lives.  We can follow one who is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent.  He has all the power in the universe at His disposal to come to our aid in time of need.  He knows every thought that we think, every concern we have, every heartache and trial.  He is always with us.  He has promised to never leave us or forsake us.  We are to follow as dear children.  Children have such a simple, trusting faith.  They believe everything that their father says without question.  They wholly trust their father to have their best interests in mind.  My how our faith should mirror that of a child.

We are commanded to walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us.  Christ gave everything He had for us.  He gave himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.  If Christ demonstrated His love for us by offering himself as a sacrifice, how can we do anything less.  Rom 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."   We need to demonstrate our love for God by offering our life a living sacrifice for others.  When people look at our lives they need to see the love of God manifested in all that we say and do.  

Walk in love and give your life in service for others!

He is our Peace

Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 

Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Paul reminds the Christian believers at Ephesus of an important distinction that existed before Christ died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead.  Paul reminds the Ephesian Christians that they were in times past Gentiles or the Uncircumcision, as they were known by the Jews or the Circumcision.  At that time they were without Christ and aliens to the commonwealth of Israel.  They were strangers from the covenants of promise.  God's promises to the nation of Israel did not apply to them as Gentiles.  The church would do well to make a clear distinction in the Scriptures between those promises made to Israel and those made to the church.  The Gentile Ephesians had no hope apart from Christ.  Modern man has no hope apart from Christ.  Modern man is destined to an eternity in Hell apart from Christ, just as the Gentile Ephesians were.  Lost man is already under the condemnation of a Holy and Righteous God.  John 3:18 "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."  Paul reminded the believers that they were previously without God in the world.  What a sad condition, to be without God in the world.  Paul goes on to explain their new position in Christ.  "Ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ."  There is only one way to go from being condemned to drawing nigh to God and that is by appropriating the shed blood of Christ at Calvary by faith in Him.  When we turn from our sin and turn to Christ by faith we can draw nigh to God.  Paul makes a tremendous statement, "He is our peace."  Christ is the means by which we can have peace with our God.  We can go from being at enmity with God to having peace with God.  Christ has broken down the middle wall of partition between us.  Rom 2:28-29 "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. "

Precious Redemption

 Psa 49:6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

Psa 49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

Psa 49:8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever

The Word of God points out to us the folly of trusting in wealth or our riches.  There are many people in this world who are incredibly wealthy.  Every year Forbes magazine comes out with a list of the richest people in the world.  It's always interesting to look at these men and women and see where they made their fortunes.  It is tragic when these wealthy people put their trust in their riches instead of in the living God.  

The reason that the possession of great riches is futile is because riches will not allow you to redeem yourself or your brother from sin.  There are no amount of riches on earth that can pay the wages of your sin debt.  There is not enough wealth in the world to purchase redemption for one man, woman or child.  In verse 8 the Bible explains that the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever.  This means that you could never acquire enough wealth to purchase or redeem your soul.  We can't redeem ourselves and we can't redeem our brother.  The only person that could redeem us was the Lord Jesus Christ.  He paid the wages for our sin debt on Calvary.  His blood was the payment for our sin.  If we will trust Him by faith we are redeemed, purchased by His blood and totally forgiven of our sin debt.  Praise God for His redemption, it is precious!

Envy the Evil?

Pro 24:1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

Pro 24:2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

We have to be careful not to be envious of evil men.  Sometimes when we look at our circumstances and then compare them to the circumstances of those who care nothing about God we can become envious.  When we see the large homes, large bank accounts and fame of those that don't love God we need to remember that our treasures are above, not here on the earth.  The devil will provide many things to his children to keep them ensnared and uninterested in the things of God.  The preacher R.G. Lee preached a famous sermon "Payday Someday".  He understood as a Christian that our payday is out in eternity when we stand face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Bible instructs us that where our treasures are, there will our heart be also.  Far too many of God's people are concerned about laying up their treasures in this life.  Their eyes are so focused on material and temporal things that they fail to do what God has called them to do.  There should be nothing in our life more precious to us than being obedient to God.  If there is anything in your life that is keeping you from doing the will of God you have created an idol.  That person or thing has taken the most important place in your life.  It has usurped God's rightful place in your life.

Our verses point out another reason we shouldn't be envious of evil men.  Their hearts study destruction and their lips talk of mischief.  In comparison the hearts of the Christians should study life.  The eternal life that is available to lost man through the salvation that is in Christ Jesus.  We should study the abundant life that is available to us as we walk hand in hand with the Lord.  

Evil men's lips speak of mischief.  Christians lips should speak of edification and encouragement.  Our lips should be used to encourage the brethren.  Our lips should be used to pray and share the burden of other Christians.

Always remember when we are tempted to look at the wealth and riches of evil men, 1Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."  Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." As Christians our payday may not be in this life, but God is always faithful to His people.

The Power of the Tongue

Jas 3:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

Jas 3:4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

Have you ever stopped to consider the power of the tongue?  The tongue is just one small member of our body, but the Bible describes the tremendous power that it wields.  The Word of God draws us to some familiar illustrations to help us understand the control that the tongue exerts in our life.  

The first illustration is that of a bit in the horses mouth.  With just a little pressure on the rein to turn the bit and the huge horse will respond by turning its body.  Our tongue has the power to cause people to obey us.  I think of the words that Hitler used to turn his nation Germany against another race of people as he sought to destroy them.  Our words can cause people to obey us for evil or for good.

The second illustration is that of the sailing ships.  The ships are huge and majestic as they move through the water driven by the winds.  The tiny helm controls the direction of the ship.  Our tongues control our direction.  We can fill our lives with idle words that mean nothing of eternal value or we can use our words to encourage and edify.

The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.  Our tongue can literally destroy the lives of others.  All we have to do is make false accusations, tear down and destroy others.  Out west in California are huge areas that make the news every year because of wildfires.  The wildfires burn millions of dollars worth of land and homes.  Every wildfire starts with a single spark.  One little spark and in a short time there are tremendous, wind-driven flames racing through mountains and dells.  The tongue works exactly the same.  One small spark, even a seemingly innocent comment can turn into a huge, destructive situation leaving nothing but sorrow and misery in its wake.

Lord help us to guard our tongue each day.  We realize that we are still have our Adamic nature that we are tempted through to commit sin.  Help us to always say those things that lend themselves to encouragement and edification.  God help us to use our tongues to share the Gospel message and to bring honor and glory to you.