Are you familiar with the magazine called Real Simple? Perhaps you've seen it in the grocery store. If you're a woman, you may even have bought a copy. The magazine's subtitle is just as alluring as the title: "Life Made Easier." Sounds good, doesn't it? Real Simple ... Life Made Easier ... That's just what I need these days, as my life seems to be...

As we read Ephesians 2:8 in English, we are not surprised to find the word "gift" in the last part of the verse: "it is the gift of God." After all, Paul often uses the word "gift" in his writings (for example, Rom. 1:11; 6:23). In fact, the Greek word that shows up so often in Paul's letters is charisma, which is based on the word charis, the Greek word...

Ephesians 2:8 seems clear enough. According to this verse, we are saved by grace, through faith. God extends salvation to us as a gift. We receive it in faith. What could be confusing about this? Unfortunately, the English word "faith" can be misleading. If someone were to ask you, "Do you have faith in God?" chances are that person is asking a...

As you read Ephesians 2, you get the idea that salvation by grace is a big deal. Verse 5 reveals that we have been saved by grace. Then, that thought is repeated in almost exactly the same words in verse 8. Additionally, verse 8 adds that “salvation by grace through faith” does not come from us, but is “the gift of God.” The Greek word translated here as...