“There is therefore now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

“By grace you have been saved through faith, not through works, it is the gift of God so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

The thought shocks me every time. God has saved my life from eternal damnation. He continues to save me everyday. I do not deserve it. I will never deserve it. I will never be beyond the need of it. I deserve punishment—eternal punishment, eternal hell. Every day. As I stumble back to my petty idols again and again, as I choose to spend my time with simple trinkets and mindless pastimes instead of spending my time getting to know the glorious, beautiful, holy God who WANTS to be with me through his Word and prayer that I am reminded of it.

Is it really surprising that unbelievers do not understand? Isn't it reasonable that even Christians want to water the glorious truth down to faith plus works? God's grace and mercy (the good news of the gospel) are so big, like the a blue giant star compared to the moon, that even as I write this I can only grasp glimpses of it in my mind. The moon is something our finite minds can comprehend, the size of Betelgeuse we cannot. God saves me because of his great love, grace, mercy, holiness, wisdom, righteousness, goodness and perfect plan—not because of a few feeble good works I may do or a few praises that I remember to say. For even those works are mixed with self-righteousness and attempts at self-glory. Not that He is not pleased with these things, for I believe He is.

The promises of a peaceful life from other religions and beliefs are dollar store trinkets compared to holiness, righteousness, goodness and the glory of God. We receive holiness, we receive truth, we receive goodness and righteousness, we will understand true justice and mercy and grace, we will know true love; we will be like Jesus—like God. Can gold or temporal contentment or even an earth without sin compare to these things?

Jesus, the Son of God, God Himself, came to earth as a helpless babe, lived the perfect life and willingly died on the cross while suffering the wrath and punishment of God His own Father. He arose from the dead overcoming death, sin and the curse. He will return again to bring us to be with Him and bring forth a new heaven and a new earth without the curse. We were hopeless in unrighteousness and sin, but God has made a way for us to be free by His own hand. Not because I am worth it, not because I can do anything, but because of His goodness. Amen.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. 
- Ephesians 1:2-14