SAVED BY GRACE...TO DO GOOD WORK - in English

by: Ps. Joel A'bell // 8 September 2013

Ephesians 2: 8-10

8 For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through FAITH—and this IS NOT FROM yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 NOT by WORKS, so that no one can BOAST. 10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do GOOD works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.- NIV

Based on this verse we may conclude that men are:

    1) Saved BY Grace and not FOR Grace

God’s Grace saved us, and not based on what we have done. Grace is freely given to every man who asks Him.

God is good and perfect, doesn’t depend on the stories of how we are saved, how dramatic our story is. It’s not about our story.

Rome 6:1

In the same way, count yourselves DEAD to sin but ALIVE to God in Christ Jesus.- NIV

Job 35:5-8

Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people. - NIV

Indeed, God does not need anything from men. If men sin, we are only going to hurt ourselves. When we do well in lives, we will feel joy of doing good deeds to others.

http://m.tempo.co/read/news/ 2013/07/31/060501214/Membantu- Orang-Lain-Itu-Bikin-Bahagia

When we do something good for the glory of God, there are nothing else that will make God looks better.

2) Saved FOR works, not BY works

We are saved to do GOOD DEEDS. Christian will be recognized by their surroundings through the love they show others. Start from small things.

We don’t need to be perfect to do good things. We don’t need to get permission to just simply greet people with a smile. 

By realizing how much God loves us, we should be motivated to reach out to people and spread about God and for them to know and experience His kindness and love.

Don't wait to START giving God's attention TO people...He is helping us TO help other.

Joel has been on staff at Hillsong Church for over 10 years. He now helps Brian & Bobbie outwork the vision across the Hills, City, South West & Brisbane campuses as the Lead Pastor in Australia.. Joel is an innovative leader and speaker with a genuine heart to see God's Kingdom established in people's lives. Joel is a devoted husband to Julia and father to Harmony and Eli. twitter.com/joelabell