God Offers It By Grace

Writing to those who had accepted the offer of gLod's mercy, the apostle Paul wrote, "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). Paul had once tried to earn his own way into God's favor) Philippians 3:3-9). Now he wanted his readers to know what he himself had discovered—that it is only by the grace of God that the angels of heaven welcome fallen and broken rebels into the eternal family and presence of God. In another letter, Paul described the difference between Adam, who spread sin and death to all his descendants, and Christ, who brought grace and life to all who trust in Him. So he wrote, "But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense [Adam's sin] many died, much more the grace of god and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many" Romans 5:15).