Ephesians 2:1–10 CEV
“In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn’t obey God. Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else. But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much he made us alive with Christ, and God’s gift of undeserved grace is what saves you. God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven. God did this so in the future world he could show how truly good and kind he is to us because of what Christ Jesus has done. You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about. God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. This is why he sent Christ to make us what we are.”
If it were not for the love of God, none of us would be worth anything. In fact, we would be walking dead, looking for a grave to lay down in.
These are not my words. Paul tells the Ephesian church that we were all dead because of our sins. But God brought us to life through His undeserved grace. In other words, we did not then, and we do not now, deserve His grace. The reason we were then, and are now, eligible to be made alive is not because we deserve it, but because the Lord is truly good and kind to us because of what Christ Jesus has done.
Notice the conjunction, or antithesis, “but.” It serves as a directional signal. It changes the direction of the conversation and points us toward unmerited favor. We were dead—but God! We were sinners—but God! We were undeserving—but God! We were headed in the wrong direction—but God!
Although we do not deserve God’s grace, He extends it to us anyway. The Apostle John told us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish…” And here we go again—“but” has everlasting life.
That “but” symbolizes God’s grace, God’s favor, and God’s love for undeserving people who, by no merit of their own, are pardoned in this life and given a place in the Lord’s Kingdom yet to come.
When we see or say “But God,” it should force us to recognize both our unworthiness and the Lord’s sovereignty over all things—including us. The truth is that we cannot take credit for what only God could do. We didn’t save ourselves and we didn’t earn His grace. We didn’t deserve His mercy. But God!
I don’t know about you, but I thank God every day for the opportunity to look at my own life and say:
“BUT GOD!”
If God has ever stepped into your situation and changed the direction of your story, you ought to be able to say it with me:
BUT GOD!
Be Blessed!
Rev. J. Loren Russell is an associate minister at Goodwill Baptist Church and is the clergy officiant of the Evangelical Church of God, all in the Bronx, President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial & Strategic Consulting (718-328-8096), and hosts “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Monday nights from 8:00 – 10:00 PM on Facebook Live. Be sure to Friend “Matters of Faith” on YouTube and email us at mattersoffaith.mof@gmail.com. Order your copy of Matters of Faith: The eBook at www.smashwords.com/books/view/993177.
Based on reporting by The Positive Community.
