Connect Acts 15:11 with Ephesians 2:8-9 on the concept of grace. Grace Anchored in Two Passages Acts 15:11: “But we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” Seeing the Same Truth from Two Angles • Acts 15 centers on the early church debate: must Gentiles keep the Law to be saved? • Peter’s declaration—“through the grace of the Lord Jesus”—settles it: salvation is a gift, not a ritual. • Paul’s letter to Ephesus echoes Peter: grace remains God’s unearned favor, received “through faith,” never earned. What Exactly Is Grace? • Unearned favor God shows to sinners (Romans 3:24). • Rooted in Christ’s finished work on the cross (John 1:16-17). • Available to all people, Jew and Gentile alike (Titus 2:11). Grace Versus Works • Works: human effort, law-keeping, self-improvement. • Grace: God’s initiative, God’s accomplishment, God’s gift. • Ephesians 2:9 forbids boasting; Acts 15:11 forbids adding requirements. The same line is drawn in Galatians 2:21—if righteousness could come by law, “Christ died for nothing.” Faith: The Empty Hand • Faith does not earn; it receives (Romans 4:5). • Acts 15 records Gentiles believing without circumcision; Ephesians celebrates that very faith union. • “Through faith” pictures an open hand grasping the gift God extends. Implications for Everyday Life • Security—our standing rests on Christ, not performance (John 10:28-29). • Humility—no room for pride when everything comes from Him (1 Corinthians 1:31). • Unity—since all come the same way, divisions melt (Ephesians 2:13-16). • Freedom—released from striving to measure up, we now serve out of gratitude (Galatians 5:1, 13). Supporting Passages to Explore • Romans 5:1-2 – grace grants peace and access. • 2 Timothy 1:9 – salvation and calling given “not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace.” • Hebrews 4:16 – believers draw near to the “throne of grace.” Grace saves, grace unites, grace empowers—then and now. |
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