Ephesians 2:8-13
8: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9: not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
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—
12: remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13: But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
After Paul spoke about the rich mercy of God who raised us up out of our sins and seated us in heavenly places in Christ, he continued this thought to the Ephesians saying they’d been saved by grace through faith. Salvation is a grace—a gift—from God. It comes through faith to one who believes. Yet even this faith is not something a person creates on their own. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God—the gospel message (Romans 10:17), so it too comes from God Himself.
There is nothing we do to earn our salvation, so no one can boast about it. However, we are created in Christ Jesus as new creatures who will do good works. Good works don’t save us, but a saved person will do good works. God has planned and prepared these good works for us to walk in.
Paul reminded them that they, as Gentiles, were called “Uncircumcision” by the “Circumcision.” Yet, that circumcision which was a sign of the old Jewish covenant with God was still performed in the flesh by human hands. This was contrary to the new circumcision of the heart, performed without human hands, which occurs when one believes in Jesus Christ and is born again under the new covenant (Romans 2:29).
During that time when the old covenant of circumcision was in effect, the Gentiles were separated from Christ, who of course hadn’t come yet, but not being a part of Israel they didn’t know the old covenant, so they were separated from even the hope of Christ—the hope of salvation. At least the Jews knew of the promised Messiah and hoped in Him (at times), but the Gentiles didn’t know that they would one day be included in the covenant of the Messiah, so they had no legitimate hope of salvation.
However, now, in Christ, those who were far off—the Gentiles—have been brought near by the blood of Christ. As Paul said to the Galatians, there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, all are one in Christ Jesus, and all those who believe in Christ are heirs of the promise given to Abraham (Galatians 3:28-29). A true Jew today, in God’s eyes, is one who believes in Christ (Romans 2:28-29).
9: not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
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—
12: remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13: But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
***
After Paul spoke about the rich mercy of God who raised us up out of our sins and seated us in heavenly places in Christ, he continued this thought to the Ephesians saying they’d been saved by grace through faith. Salvation is a grace—a gift—from God. It comes through faith to one who believes. Yet even this faith is not something a person creates on their own. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God—the gospel message (Romans 10:17), so it too comes from God Himself.
There is nothing we do to earn our salvation, so no one can boast about it. However, we are created in Christ Jesus as new creatures who will do good works. Good works don’t save us, but a saved person will do good works. God has planned and prepared these good works for us to walk in.
Paul reminded them that they, as Gentiles, were called “Uncircumcision” by the “Circumcision.” Yet, that circumcision which was a sign of the old Jewish covenant with God was still performed in the flesh by human hands. This was contrary to the new circumcision of the heart, performed without human hands, which occurs when one believes in Jesus Christ and is born again under the new covenant (Romans 2:29).
During that time when the old covenant of circumcision was in effect, the Gentiles were separated from Christ, who of course hadn’t come yet, but not being a part of Israel they didn’t know the old covenant, so they were separated from even the hope of Christ—the hope of salvation. At least the Jews knew of the promised Messiah and hoped in Him (at times), but the Gentiles didn’t know that they would one day be included in the covenant of the Messiah, so they had no legitimate hope of salvation.
However, now, in Christ, those who were far off—the Gentiles—have been brought near by the blood of Christ. As Paul said to the Galatians, there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, all are one in Christ Jesus, and all those who believe in Christ are heirs of the promise given to Abraham (Galatians 3:28-29). A true Jew today, in God’s eyes, is one who believes in Christ (Romans 2:28-29).
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