Connect Ezekiel 36:32 with Ephesians 2:8-9 on salvation by grace, not works. Key Passages • Ezekiel 36:32 — “It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD—let it be known to you! Be ashamed and disgraced for your ways, O house of Israel!” • Ephesians 2:8-9 — “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” God’s Glory, Not Our Merit • In Ezekiel, Israel’s rescue from exile is explicitly “not for your sake.” • God moves to protect the honor of His own name (cf. Ezekiel 36:22-23; Isaiah 48:9-11). • Likewise, salvation in Ephesians is “the gift of God,” leaving no space for human bragging. • Both passages underscore: God’s initiative, God’s purpose, God’s glory. The Human Condition Exposed • “Be ashamed and disgraced” (Ezekiel 36:32) admits guilt and helplessness. • “Not from yourselves” (Ephesians 2:8) echoes that helplessness. • Titus 3:5 adds, “He saved us, not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy.” Grace Echoed Across the Testaments • Old Testament: God promises a new heart and Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26-27) purely by grace. • New Testament: That promise is fulfilled through Christ, granting faith as a gift (Ephesians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 5:17). • Romans 11:6 — “If it is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” Connecting the Dots 1. Motivation – Ezekiel: God acts for His name. – Ephesians: God saves to display “the surpassing riches of His grace” (Ephesians 2:7). 2. Method – Ezekiel: Divine initiative, heart transplant, Spirit within. – Ephesians: Divine initiative, faith gifted, new creation in Christ (Ephesians 2:10). 3. Result – Ezekiel: Israel will “know that I am the LORD” (36:38). – Ephesians: “So that no one can boast.” God alone receives praise (1 Corinthians 1:29-31). Application: Living in Gratitude • Worship: Celebrate God’s unearned kindness rather than personal achievement. • Humility: Resist any impulse to compare moral résumés; all stand equal at the foot of the cross. • Obedience: Good works flow from grace (Ephesians 2:10), not toward it. • Witness: Point others to the God who rescues for His glory, offering the same gift to all who believe. |
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