This week's devotion is from Dcn. Bob Lewis.

Ephesians 2:4-10

4  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  5  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.  6  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,  7  in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  8  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  9  not by works, so that no one canboast.  10  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

You may be familiar with the 95 Theses and with the 5 Solas, the core principlas of the Reformation:

Sola Scriptura- Scripture along
Sola Gratia- Grace alone
Solus Christus- Christ alone
Soli Deo Gloria- Glory to God alone
Sola Fide- Faith alone

This passage from Ephesians focuses on Sola Gratia, Grace alone, and those words from this scripture, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” There is nothing special we can or need to do to receive this gift of grace. It is freely given to us from our creator out of His love for us. We are called upon to “do good works” but it is not a condition for receiving God's grace. We know we don’t deserve this salvation of grace that we receive but it comes to us freely out of God’s unbounding mercy and love towards us. For it is by grace you have been saved. It is one of the foundations of our Lutheran faith. And thanks be to God for that!

For by grace you have been saved and even faith is not your own, it’s the gift of God for you and not the works that you have done. Don’t let anybody boast, for this is God’s great gift. Amen.

(ELW 598)