Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

The Oxford dictionary defines grace in Christian belief as “the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.” That is a mouthful! As I understand it Ephesians 2:8 is telling me that before we are saved, we are completely bankrupt before God. Just think of it – the very faith that came alive in you and me to enable us to respond to God’s love is a gift from him. In that act he extended grace to us. All I can say is “thank you Lord!”

The realization of how bankrupt we were is what should motivate us to be gracious to each other. That means that in extending grace, we can have no reservations or add conditions, because then it becomes a transaction. Life gives us opportunities to extend grace from time to time and it is a way to reflect the love of God and fulfill our purpose. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10).  It seems to me then that doing good works for the sake of “piling up credits” so to speak is not what extending grace is about. Rather, it is an emptying of self for the sake of another in such a way that it transforms you and the recipient.