Ephesians 2
Made Alive in Christ
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Often I do feel that I am a living dead. All the senses were numbed by the amount of sufferings that I witnessed and the amount of wrong doings that I have committed. Self guilt leads to self hatred which leads to low self esteem, then hopelessness and helplessness, leading on to depression and a spiral vicious circle of darkness. This passage of Bible does rescue me from all this mess. Letting my old self die inside me, I confess all my past, present and future to God while repenting all my sins and asking for his forgiveness. The Bible, which are God's words, has given me this covenant:I am forgiven and I am saved. What a wonderfully good news that is and what a great relief that is to lift up the burden of living through daily sufferings! While in darkness I still walk, I am now seeing the light of hope is shining upon me from God, stronger and stronger each day I pray. For His grace I shall never deserve, it was given to me freely with the written 'contract' written in the Bible:
'For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God' Amen
There has to be the ultimate standard of goodness in this whole place and it is from God. This is called faith.
I hope and pray that you would understand what I am saying: this very piece of good news.
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