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bigmike

Ephesians 2:8 (LSB) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Welcome to part 1 of what will be a 5-part series!
This series will touch on five different components of our salvation in Christ.
1. Grace
2. Mercy
3. Repentance
4. Forgiveness
5. Redemption
We will examine each of these five components and gain understanding as to the integral part that each plays in our salvation.
Ephesians 2:8 (above) states that we are saved by grace, though faith. What is grace. And how does it contribute to our salvation?
Grace: unmerited favor, kindness, or goodwill given to someone who doesn’t deserve it.
Original Greek: charis
Exhibiting kindness toward someone who has not displayed kindness toward you is a simplified example.
A more complicated, intricate example might be this:
Someone you know has spent years treating you badly. They have slandered you, treated you harshly, and done everything they can to destroy your career and your reputation. They have made themselves your enemy.
This person, though a series of poor choices, has fallen into deep debt. He is on the brink of losing everything. This would destroy him and his family.
What if you had the power, though financial means, to save him from certain destruction?
He has not asked you to help. You don’t owe him anything. But you act on his behalf and help him anyway.
This is grace in action. And it leads to a complete change of heart in your enemy. He is changed by this forever.
You see, grace can be transformative.
So it is with God and us. God chose to offer us kindness despite our hatred and irreverence toward Him.
And it caused our heart to become repentant, seeking His forgiveness. It is the first step toward our redemption.
Please join us tomorrow as we continue our journey.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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