By Grace You Have Been Saved!

"You were dead through the faults and sins.  Once, you lived through them, according to this world, and followed the Sovereign Ruler who reigns between heaven and earth, and who goes on working, in those who resist the faith.  All of us belonged to them, at one time, and we followed human greed; we obeyed the urges of our human nature and consented to its desires.  By ourselves, we went straight to the judgment, like the rest of humankind.

But GOD, who is rich in mercy, revealed HIS immense love.  As we were dead through our sins, HE gave us life, with CHRIST.  By grace, you have been saved!  And HE raised us to life, with CHRIST, giving us a place with HIM in heaven.

In showing us such kindness, in CHRIST JESUS, GOD willed to reveal, and unfold in the coming ages, the extraordinary riches of HIS grace.  By the grace of GOD, you have been saved, through faith.  This has not come from you: it is GOD's gift.  This was not the result of your works, so you are not to feel proud.  What we are, is GOD's work.  HE has created us, in CHRIST JESUS, for the good works HE has prepared, that we should devote ourselves to them." - Ephesians 2:1-10 

(The path of humans without CHRIST leads to death.

We obeyed the urges of our human nature and consented to its desires.  There is no need to seek a clearer affirmation of what we call original sin.  Paul does not speak of a fault committed before our personal sins, and in addition to the sins we are responsible for.  It is a flaw easily seen in the human condition and in all our acts; it is the liabilities of our life insofar as GOD has not taken us in hand.

The account of Genesis [Chapters 2-3] has placed in the past this "original" sin, as well as creation.  It is a way of speaking proper to Hebrew culture.  In fact both our creation by GOD and our revolt against HIM are a part of our daily reality.

HE raised us to life with CHRIST.  Actually an authentic conversion is experienced as a resurrection.  Paul is saying more: nothing can stop GOD's merciful plan.  HE sees beyond time and has already raised us with CHRIST.  We are seated with HIM in heaven, that is to say, assured of victory.)

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