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God, “even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace we have been saved—” Eph 2:5.
Paul tells the Colossians the same thing and more. Beginning with ch 2 vs 13 – “And you, who were dead in your trespasses, God made alive together with him, (sound familiar?) having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This God set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities (those demonic powers who would condemn us and try to control us) and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Jesus.”
I ask you, who is doing the work in these passages? Ourselves – or God? Who is the active one? Ourselves – or God? Who is making us alive? Ourselves – or God? Who is doing the saving? Ourselves – or God? The forgiving? The canceling? The nailing? The disarming?
Dear friend, let’s not be fooled into thinking salvation came our way through our own merits, or that we had a hand in it, or our good works earned it. It’s by grace we have been saved through faith. It’s not our doing; it is the gift of God.” Eph 2:8.
That phrase, “have been saved,” is in the perfect tense, meaning that our salvation is fully secured. It’s done. The whole process of “salvation by grace through faith” is a gift from God – not something that we can accomplish ourselves.
When a person was crucified, there was nailed to the cross the list of accusations, the reasons, why that person was being crucified. In Col, Paul tells us that all of OUR debts, sins, offenses, transgressions, you name it, were written there. All – of – them. Jesus was crucified because of our failures.
And because of the Cross, the devil’s power has been broken. He still tries to accuse us – but wait! That sin, real as it may be, has already been nailed to Calvary’s Cross. There’s Jesus’ blood, pouring down from the Cross in full payment. The accusations, however real, have been paid for. Hallelujah!
It’s time we believe it – and COME ALIVE!
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