Salvation is So Much More!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8-10

Do you like good news? Well then, I have some for you. Great news, actually! Here it is: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.” Fantastic!

In today’s Life for Leaders devotion, we’ll begin to consider in depth what it means to be saved by grace through faith. This verse deserves such careful scrutiny, not only because it is a touchstone of our faith, and not only because it has been so influential in the history of the church, but also because it has power to transform your life. This is true even if, like me, you’ve been a Christian for a long time.

What does it mean to be saved? In many of his letters, the Apostle Paul prefers to use the language of justification when he explains what God’s grace produces in our lives (for example, Romans 5:1 and Galatians 2:16). In a couple of instances, Paul combines the language of justification and salvation (Romans 5:9, 10:10). Yet, in Ephesians, he chooses to speak in terms of salvation rather than justification.

According to Ephesians, what does it mean to be saved? The first verses of Ephesians 2 help to provide a clear answer. God has saved us from the dire condition in which we found ourselves outside of Christ. We were dead in our sins, prisoners to the world and its evil ruler, dominated by our fleshly desires, and standing under God’s righteous judgment. But God did not leave us in our sorry, terminal condition. Rather, he “made us alive with Christ… [and] raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms” (2:5-6). God delivered us from the dominion of sin and death into the domain of life. Or, to put it differently, he saved us.

Notice that, in this passage, salvation is so much more than simply going to Heaven after you die. In fact, there is a sense in this passage in which you are already in Heaven now if you have been saved by God. To be sure, your salvation includes what happens to you in your post-mortem state (see 2:7). But salvation begins to transform your life in this age and in this world… or at least it should. Because God has saved you, you can begin to live differently right now, wherever you are, at work or at home, in a boardroom or your neighborhood, with colleagues or your family.

In tomorrow’s devotion, we’ll look more deeply into the multiple dimensions of salvation. For now, let me encourage you to consider your experience of God’s salvation and the difference it makes in your life today.

Something to Think About:

How have you experienced God’s salvation in your life?

From what has God saved you?

Are there ways you still need to experience God’s salvation? Are you in bondage to a pattern of sin, or to a powerful addiction, or to unhealthy relationships, or…?

Something to Do:

Set aside some moments for reflection. As you think of ways God has saved you, express your thanks in prayer. Let the Lord know how grateful you are for his salvation in your life.

Prayer:

Gracious God, thank you for saving me. Thank you for reaching out to me when I was dead in my transgressions and sins, when I was in bondage to this world and its powers, when I was lost and without hope. Thank you, Lord, for all the ways I have experienced your salvation in my life.

Help me, dear Lord, to understand your salvation more fully. Help me to live this day as one who has been saved by grace. May your salvation permeate and transform my life. Amen.

Explore more at the Theology of Work Project online commentary:
Grace Transforms Suffering in Our Life in Christ (Romans 5:1–11)