God’s Grace Factory

Ephesians 2:1-10 has 3 natural divisions. The Raw Materials, The Process, and The Finished Product.

In Ephesians 2:1-3, the raw material is the sinner born as a son of Adam. All of us come into this world the same way, by birth through our parents, who came from their parents, and so on. We are all sinners by birth in the same condition, with the same two-fold problem. The Bible says we are dead in trespasses and sins, and by nature, the children of wrath, even as others.

We all have the two-fold problem of our nature and its fruit. Dogs bark because that is in their nature. We sin because we are sinners because that is our nature. Because of our nature and the fruit it brings we are at enmity with the justice of God. History shows death is our end and is even more sure than taxes. There are many who don’t pay their taxes, but no one gets out of paying for their sin. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The death rate is still one a piece! And finally, there is the ultimate wage for our sin, which is the second death to be eternally separated from God in the lake of fire.

In Ephesians 2:4-9, the work and process of our salvation is what God himself does based upon what He has done for us in Christ. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved).” Salvation is not a stairway to heaven we climb throughout our life, but like an elevator we step into at a point in time, by faith. “Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). The payment was made by Jesus on the cross, and we receive eternal life as a gift, not a reward for a life well lived. “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). This is the gospel, that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, according to the scriptures, I Corinthians 15:3,4. The work is done by the grace of God when we personally trust what Jesus Christ accomplished for us on the cross.

In Ephesians 2:10, the finished product is a new creature, forgiven and complete in Christ. “For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 2:10). God places the very life of his Son within when we believe the gospel of our salvation and makes us a new creature!

What about good works? “God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Good works are why we were created in Christ “that we should walk in them” to bring honor to him and blessing to others. But they are not the means whereby we obtain eternal life, or the assurance we have it!

Have you been through God’s grace factory? We are all the raw materials by birth. God will save us and make a new creature when we make that personal choice to rely exclusively on and trust in the process his grace factory has provided! You then can be a new creature in Christ!