My pastor, David Schultz, one time said to me, "George, there are certain verses of the Bible that you must commit to memory. This is one of them."
It's Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.
Paul's message is crystal clear - you and I contribute absolutely nothing to our salvation. From beginning to ending, it is God's work. With the empty but trusting hands of faith (also God's gift) we receive the undeserved gift of salvation and eternal life for our very own.
That's what makes the grace of God, as the old song says, so amazing.
Happy memorization!
