The Gift that Cannot be Earned

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We can't pay for our salvation. If I were to say you could pay for your salvation, honestly, most of us would raise our hands and say we'd be glad to try. That's what most religions of the world are—they're works-based, striving to pay for their righteousness before God through some form of right living, witnessing, or activity that would make them acceptable to God.

Yet Christianity is different. One person said it this way: every other religion of the world could be described as "do"—what will you do for God? But Christianity is unique in that it's represented by the word "done"—what has Christ already done for you?

There's a story from World War II that illustrates this perfectly, later made into the movie "Saving Private Ryan." Four brothers served in the war, and three had died in battle. When a general discovered this, he decided to rescue the surviving brother, Private Ryan. The rescue team searched through France, and when they found him, the entire team lost their lives in the process of saving him.

One of the most powerful scenes shows the dying captain looking at Private Ryan and saying, "Earn this." Years later, Private Ryan stands at his rescuer's grave, haunted by that conversation. He asks his wife, "Tell me I'm a good man," because he knows other men laid down their lives to rescue his.

The question that haunted him every day was: What have I done in light of what has been done for me?

No sir, no ma'am—you cannot earn your salvation. But you can show your appreciation for what Jesus Christ has done for you on the cross by how you choose to live your life today.

Could we also ask ourselves: Am I a good witness? Am I a good example? Am I a good Christian example for others to see?

Reflection Question: How can you show your appreciation today for what Christ has already done for you on the cross?

Dear Lord, thank You that salvation is Your gift to me, not something I could ever earn. Help me live each day in gratitude for what You've done, showing my appreciation through how I witness, serve, and live my life for You. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "Witnessing in the Real World": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/s2bd93j/17-witnessing-in-the-real-world-1-peter-3-13-17