"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast". (Ephesians 2:8, 9)
Grace: This is the foundation of salvation. We do not merit salvation, but by grace, which is the unmerited favor of God towards man. It is God's free gift to man. It is God's work in man. It is an undeserved, unearned blessing that God bestows freely. God does all the work involved in saving a soul; "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12). Salvation comes by God's grace and not by any works on man's part. Man can only accept or reject the work that God has done and is willing to do on his behalf.
Faith: is the means by which man accepts and receives God's saving grace (Romans 3:21); it is man's response to God in accepting His work of salvation. Thus faith is the channel through which God's grace comes to man. Both God's grace and man's faith are necessary for salvation. "Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17).
God gives potential faith to everyone, "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Romans 12:3), but He leaves it up to each individual whether or not to accept and apply faith to his life.
Conclusion: Salvation comes from God, it is freedom from the dominion and penalty of sin and it is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" (Titus 3:5). We are saved through faith, but that saving faith will produce works and is evidenced by our works.
Scripture to read: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life".
The cross means to bridge the breach between God and man and to restore the lost fellowship. It is true that Adam rejected God's dominion over his life by eating from the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil", but it is also true that the cross made it possible for us to choose to live holy with our own free will and call back "God's dominion" over our lives. ! So please do that.
Prayers: Dear God, I admit that I am a sinner, and I admit that I chose to reject your dominion over my life, I therefore, ask you for forgiveness and ask you to enter into my heart and to be my personal savior and lord over my life. Please save me from my sinful nature and have my spirit be born again. Dear Jesus, I thank you because in spite of all of my rejections, you said "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and him with me." I am opening the door of my heart to you and am inviting you in to help me live my life holy. Amen.
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