A Glimpse – The Gambia

Do you know God’s grace? Here are 7 Bible verses to inspire you to understand this grace.

Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

To understand God’s grace, we have to acknowledge that we have done what is wrong in God’s eyes. We have sinned. We are in need of forgiveness and redemption.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

God’s grace is a free gift that doesn’t depend on any good deeds you have done. God’s grace is for all who believe in Jesus Christ.

James 4:6-7 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

In humility we turn to God and confess that we have done wrong. In humility we receive God’s grace and he will lift us up.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

God isn’t a distant God. He came to us and lived among us as one of us. Jesus is full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

You can come to Jesus, just as you are. He knows our weaknesses. Because of the grace of God, we are forgiven our sins.

Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

We don’t earn or deserve God’s grace by our good deeds, but it’s given according to God’s own mercy. By grace we are saved through our faith and even become heirs to the kingdom of God.

Revelation 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

This is the very last verse of the Bible and it reminds and expresses the wish for God’s grace be with you. “Amen” means “surely”, “truly” or “so be it.” We live by the hope and trust in God’s grace every day.

1 From Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.

To God's people who live in Ephesus and are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.

2 I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!

Christ Brings Spiritual Blessings

3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the spiritual blessings that Christ has brought us from heaven! 4 Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people. 5 God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God's own adopted children. 6 God treated us with undeserved grace because of the Son he dearly loves, and so we should praise God.

7-8 Christ sacrificed his life's blood to set us free, which means our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because of God's gift of undeserved grace to us. God has great wisdom and understanding, 9 and by what Christ has done, God has shown us his own mysterious ways. 10 Then when the time is right, God will do all he has planned, and Christ will bring together everything in heaven and on earth.

11 God always does what he plans, and this is why he appointed Christ to choose us. 12 He did this so we Jews would bring honor to him and be the first ones to have hope because of him. 13 Christ also brought you the truth, which is the good news about how you can be saved. You put your faith in Christ and were given the promised Holy Spirit to show you belong to God. 14 The Spirit also makes us sure we will be given what God has stored up for his people. Then we will be set free, and God will be honored and praised.

Paul's Prayer

15 I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people. 16 So I never stop being grateful for you, as I mention you in my prayers. 17 I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. 18 My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and you will understand the hope given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all God's people.

19 I want you to know about the great and mighty power that God has for us followers. It is the same wonderful power he used 20 when he raised Christ from death and let him sit at his right side in heaven. 21 There Christ rules over all forces, authorities, powers, and rulers. He rules over all beings in this world and will rule in the future world as well. 22 God has put all things under the power of Christ, and for the good of the church he has made him the head of everything. 23 The church is the body of Christ and is filled with Christ who completely fills everything.

Adresse et salutation

V. 1-2: cf. Ac 18:19-21Ac 19; 20:17, etc.

1 Paul, apôtre de Jésus-Christ par la volonté de Dieu, aux saints qui sont à Éphèse et aux fidèles en Jésus-Christ: 2 Que la grâce et la paix vous soient données de la part de Dieu notre Père et du Seigneur Jésus-Christ!

Bénédictions de Dieu en Jésus-Christ, auteur de notre rédemption et chef de l’Église

V. 3-14: cf. (1 Pi 1:1, 2. 2 Th 2:13, 14. 2 Ti 1:9, 10. Ro 8:28-30.) (Ga 3:13, 14. Ro 8:15-17.)

3 Béni soit Dieu, le Père de notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ, qui nous a bénis de toutes sortes de bénédictions spirituelles dans les lieux célestes en Christ! 4 En lui Dieu nous a élus avant la fondation du monde, pour que nous soyons saints et irrépréhensibles devant lui, 5 nous ayant prédestinés dans son amour à être ses enfants d’adoption par Jésus-Christ, selon le bon plaisir de sa volonté, 6 à la louange de la gloire de sa grâce qu’il nous a accordée en son bien-aimé. 7 En lui nous avons la rédemption par son sang, la rémission des péchés, selon la richesse de sa grâce, 8 que Dieu a répandue abondamment sur nous par toute espèce de sagesse et d’intelligence, 9 nous faisant connaître le mystère de sa volonté, selon le bienveillant dessein qu’il avait formé en lui-même, 10 pour le mettre à exécution lorsque les temps seraient accomplis, de réunir toutes choses en Christ, celles qui sont dans les cieux et celles qui sont sur la terre. 11 En lui nous sommes aussi devenus héritiers, ayant été prédestinés suivant la résolution de celui qui opère toutes choses d’après le conseil de sa volonté, 12 afin que nous servions à la louange de sa gloire, nous qui d’avance avons espéré en Christ. 13 En lui vous aussi, après avoir entendu la parole de la vérité, l’Évangile de votre salut, en lui vous avez cru et vous avez été scellés du Saint-Esprit qui avait été promis, 14 lequel est un gage de notre héritage, pour la rédemption de ceux que Dieu s’est acquis, à la louange de sa gloire.

V. 15-23: cf. (Col 1:3-6, 9-13. 1 Pi 1:3, 4.) (Ph 2:9-11. Col 1:18, Col 19. Ép 2:1-7.) Ph 3:10.

15 C’est pourquoi moi aussi, ayant entendu parler de votre foi au Seigneur Jésus et de votre charité pour tous les saints, 16 je ne cesse de rendre grâces pour vous, faisant mention de vous dans mes prières, 17 afin que le Dieu de notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ, le Père de gloire, vous donne un esprit de sagesse et de révélation, dans sa connaissance, 18 et qu’il illumine les yeux de votre cœur, pour que vous sachiez quelle est l’espérance qui s’attache à son appel, quelle est la richesse de la gloire de son héritage qu’il réserve aux saints, 19 et quelle est envers nous qui croyons l’infinie grandeur de sa puissance, se manifestant avec efficacité par la vertu de sa force. 20 Il l’a déployée en Christ, en le ressuscitant des morts, et en le faisant asseoir à sa droite dans les lieux célestes, 21 au-dessus de toute domination, de toute autorité, de toute puissance, de toute dignité, et de tout nom qui se peut nommer, non seulement dans le siècle présent, mais encore dans le siècle à venir. 22 Il a tout mis sous ses pieds, et il l’a donné pour chef suprême à l’Église, 23 qui est son corps, la plénitude de celui qui remplit tout en tous.

Ephesians 1