Daily Scripture Reading Ephesians 2:1-22

Within Christianity, there is some confusion and false belief about how to be saved. Some of the confusion is due to some verses appearing to contradict each other. Some verses say we need to confess Jesus as Lord in order to be saved, but confessing Jesus as Lord means making Jesus the Lord of our life and serving Him. However, other verses say salvation is not by works. Many Christians think this is a contradiction.

Today’s passage contains one of the verses that states salvation is not by works. While this statement is very true, we will see that this does not contradict the necessity of making Jesus our Lord in order to be saved.

In the first chapter of Ephesians, Paul wrote about predestination. Before God created the world, He chose those who would be saved. He works all things to bring praise and glory to Himself. Paul ended chapter one by declaring that all things are in subjection to Christ.

Eph. 2:1 ¶ And you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

Take note of the word “dead”. Unsaved people are dead.

Eph. 2:2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience,

Eph. 2:3 among whom we all also formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Verses 1-3 describe life as unbelievers. Unsaved people serve the world and their flesh.

Eph. 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us,

Notice the word “But”. The statements after the word “but” draw a contrast to the statements before the word “but”.

Eph. 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

Look at the word “alive”. Unsaved people are dead, but saved people are alive.

Eph. 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Eph. 2:7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Eph. 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Eph. 2:9 not of works, so that no one may boast.

Verses 8-9 state that we are saved by grace, not by works. This means we cannot do enough good works to earn salvation; instead, the only path to salvation is to receive the gift of salvation even though we do not deserve salvation.

There is some confusion and difference of opinion about salvation because, while this verse says salvation is by grace, there are other verses, such as Romans 10:9-10, which state that we have to make Jesus the Lord of our life in order to be saved. Some Christians think that if we tell people they have to serve Jesus in order to be saved, then we are contradicting the verses, such as the one in this passage, that say salvation is not by works.

These verses do not contradict each other. We have to make Jesus the Lord of our life in order to be saved. However, even the most righteous, faithful servant of Jesus cannot do enough good works to be saved. Therefore, everyone who believes in Jesus and is His servant will be saved, but salvation will not have been earned, it will be a free gift because no one can do enough good works to earn salvation.

Eph. 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Those of us who are saved were created to do good works. Again, our good works do not save us, but anyone who is truly saved must do good works.

Salvation happens at the point in time when we believe in Jesus and the resurrection, and decide to make Jesus the Lord of our life. When we confess Jesus as Lord, we are committing ourselves to doing good works in the future. Those future good works will never be good enough to earn salvation, but the only way we will receive the free gift of salvation is to commit ourselves to doing good works.

Eph. 2:11 ¶ Therefore, remember that formerly you—the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—

Eph. 2:12 remember that you were at that time without Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Before the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, Gentiles had no hope because they were excluded from the nation of Israel.

Eph. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Eph. 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition

Don’t miss the concept that Jesus broke down the barrier between Jew and Gentile.

Eph. 2:15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might create the two into one new man, making peace,

Eph. 2:16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having in Himself put to death the enmity.

Jesus used both Jews and Gentiles to build the church. Within the church, there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile.

Eph. 2:17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED THE GOOD NEWS OF PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;

Eph. 2:18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

Both Jews and Gentiles access the same Father through the same Son and Spirit.

Eph. 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,

Think about the contrast between “strangers and sojourners” and “fellow citizens”. The Old Testament had a strong emphasis on the Israelites staying distinct from the Gentiles. The New Testament teaches us that, in the church, that distinction does not exist and both Jewish and Gentile believers come together to form one church.

Eph. 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,

Eph. 2:21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, is growing into a holy sanctuary in the Lord,

Eph. 2:22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Some verses in the Bible say salvation is by grace. Other verses state that we have to make Jesus the Lord of our life in order to be saved. Some Christians think that if we tell people they have to become servants of Jesus in order to be saved, then we are contradicting the verses that say salvation is not by works.

Salvation happens at the point in time when we believe in Jesus and the resurrection, and decide to make Jesus the Lord of our life. When we confess Jesus as Lord, we are committing ourselves to doing good works in the future. Those future good works will never be good enough to earn salvation, but the only way we will receive the free gift of salvation is to commit ourselves to doing good works.

How well does your church understand and communicate the truth about how to be saved?

What do you need to change regarding how you present salvation in order to present a Biblical concept of salvation?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”