What Grace and Salvation Really Mean—and Why They Change Everything

Big Idea: Because we are prone to trust our own efforts, chase empty desires, and fear losing God’s favor, the gospel roots us in grace—salvation as God’s gift, a life reshaped by His training, and eternal security in His hand.

Introduction

We just celebrated Veteran’s day here in our great country this past week. And, as with most Veteran Day celebrations, there were numerous stories shared by veterans about their time of service and even of war. However, it is during such times, that we often forget that there are people who served on both sides of a conflict. And, sometimes, their stories need to be heard as well. For instance, during World War 2, there was a Japanese pilot, Nobuo Fujita, who dropped incendiary bombs on the forests near Brookings, Oregon. It was, by all accounts, they only aerial bombing of the continental U.S. by enemy aircraft.

Now, imagine for a moment this morning, that you are this pilot, having attacked a town in wartime. Then, in an unexpected twist of fate, you find yourself in the very town that you bombed later in life. That happened to this Japanese pilot. He returned to Brooking, Oregon, after the war filled with deep remorse and guilt for his actions during the war. As he did, he had no idea how the people of that town would receive him. What did he find? He found a town full of people who welcomed him with open arms forgiving him and embracing him into their arms. That is what grace looks like. Today we’re going to explore a grace even greater: The grace of God that welcomes sinners, not with judgment, but with a gift - salvation.

Why this message? Because deep down, many of us wrestle with the same fallen condition: we try to earn what can only be received. We chase approval, fear failure, and wonder if we’ve done enough to stay in God’s favor. We may know the word “grace,” but we often live as if salvation depends on us.

That’s why we need to hear this. Every person in this room—whether you’ve walked with Jesus for decades or are just beginning to explore faith—needs to be rooted in grace. Not just informed by it, but transformed by it. Because grace doesn’t just save us—it reshapes us, secures us, and sustains us.

Scripture is clear. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” That’s our anchor. That’s our starting point.

So here’s the big idea we’ll explore together: Because we are prone to trust our own efforts, chase empty desires, and fear losing God's favor, the gospel roots us in grace—salvation as God's gift, a life reshaped by His training, and eternal security in His hand.

Let’s begin with the first truth: Grace saves as God’s gift.

Grace Saves as God’s Gift

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV 1900

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Note how this verse stresses the fact that grace, as well as salvation (both can be synonymous with the other), is solely a gift from God. It cannot be earned, achieved, and it is definitely not deserved - it is given. It is “not of yourselves.” It is “not of works.” Why? The answer is “lest any man should boast.”

There are many other verses that affirm this. A favorite of mine is Romans 6:23

Romans 6:23 KJV 1900

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Another great verse to go with our understanding of God’s grace is Philippians 2:13

Philippians 2:13 KJV 1900

13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Why these verses? Romans 6:23 emphasizes that God’s grace/salvation is a gift. Philippians 2:13 tells us that any moral or spiritual action that occurs in our lives is due to God giving us the will (desire) and the ability to do it.

The best way to illustrate this is the gospel message. As we know, the Bible is quite clear that each of us is born as sinners into this world. We are born already short of God’s expectation concerning holiness and morality.

Romans 3:23 KJV 1900

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Understanding this is easy. I have used this simple illustration many times. We sin because we are sinners. Just like a dog barks because it is a dog and just like a cow moos because it is a cow, so we sin because we are sinners. Thus, each person born is born short of God’s glory. How did this happen?

Romans 5:12 KJV 1900

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

We know this man is Adam. The story of man’s creation and his subsequent fall is clearly recorded in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. God created man in His image, and man perfectly reflected God’s glory. There was no sin or condemnation. God and man enjoyed perfect fellowship. However, man’s perfection did not last long. God had only one rule for Adam and Eve: they could eat from all the trees in the garden of Eden except for one. As we know, Satan, God's enemy, came to Eve, tempted her to rebel and disobey God, and she succumbed to the temptation. Both she and Adam, in a single act, brought sin into the world. Thus, by one man (Adam), sin entered the world. Adam’s sin carried the penalty of death. God had promised that on the day they disobeyed and ate the forbidden fruit, they would die. Interestingly, on that day, they did not die physically. How did they die? They died spiritually. In simple terms, death is separation. Their sin resulted in them being expelled from the garden and being spiritually separated from God. Additionally, they were no longer perfect but were now contaminated by sin. In fact, sin became their nature. For this reason, we sin because of Adam’s sin, and through physical birth, we inherit spiritual death. It is for this same reason that Christ proclaimed in John 3:17-18.

John 3:17–18 KJV 1900

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Every person is born as a sinner, condemned to spend eternity without God, and unable to do anything about it. However, this is where God’s grace comes into play. God has a plan. It was a plan of grace.

John 3:16 KJV 1900

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

We see His great love and extraordinary grace in these words. Christ, God Himself, took action. He knew we could do nothing. Therefore, He did what we could not do. He came. He demonstrated His perfection. Born of a virgin and without a sin nature, Christ, who knew no sin, went to the cross and took upon Himself our sins so that we might be reconciled to God and saved from the eternal condemnation of sin.

Romans 5:8 KJV 1900

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Now, as a result, God offers everyone who believes in all that Christ did a free gift.

Romans 6:23 KJV 1900

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Consider a gift for a moment. In this verse, a contrast is made between a wage and a gift. Both have rewards, but they are very different in how those rewards are received. A wage is something we do so that we might receive something in return. Everyone who works a job understands the concept. People work their 40 hours a week and receive their wage (what they earned) at the end of the week. They had to do something to earn what they get. In a spiritual sense, we sinned (the action) and earned death (separation from God and a sin nature). In contrast, God offers us a gift. What is a gift? A gift is given. Nothing has to be done to receive it other than to take it. You don’t have to work for a gift. In fact, we are approaching the Christmas season and the time of giving gifts. Many of you will spend a great amount of money buying gifts for your family and friends. On the day of giving those gifts, do you ask them to do something for you before giving them their gift? Of course not. Why? Gifts are free. Nothing is expected in return. God’s gift is the same. However, note that His gift was purchased with His own blood. His gift cost Him much more than just ink printed on paper. He was literally cursed, beaten, and His body was broken as sinful men nailed Him to a cross and mocked Him. There is no greater love than for a person to lay down their life for another.

So, what does this have to do with grace? It has everything to do with grace. You see, grace is God doing everything for us and then turning around to give us the very thing we never deserved—eternal life. It was something we could not achieve on our own. We could not work for it or earn it. It is the epitome of Ephesians 2:8-9.

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV 1900

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

How we receive the gospel message also exemplifies grace, as noted in Philippians 2:13.

Philippians 2:13 KJV 1900

13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

When we hear the gospel, those of us who receive it do so because God works in our hearts. His Spirit, which is God, moves us and convicts us of our sin. In our conviction, we understand our condition, acknowledge our sin, and believe all that Christ has done for us. God prepares the way through His own sacrifice (the means to be saved), and His Spirit seals the deal in our hearts when we hear the good news and are convicted by it (the desire or will). Salvation is always according to God’s good pleasure. How wonderful is God’s grace! His grace doesn’t end at salvation.

Transition: If grace saves us as a gift, then grace also shapes us as a teacher. Salvation is not only about where we stand before God, but how we walk with Him in this present world.

Grace Trains Us for Godly Living

Titus 2:11–12 KJV 1900

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

The good news is that God’s grace is not passive. It is very active. It actively provides a way of salvation and helps us embrace it when we open our hearts to its message. Still, grace continues to work in each believer's life even after they have accepted the good news of salvation. That is the main point of these verses in Titus 2.

Note that it teaches us. Right now, for each believer, God’s grace is actively working. Remember that over the past two Sundays, we’ve focused on two wonderful blessings—God’s Spirit and God’s Word. Both are just as much part of God’s grace as the gift of eternal life. God’s Spirit helps us learn and understand more about our relationship with Him. God’s Word teaches and explains who God is and what He expects—what is right, what is not right, how to get right, and how to stay right. So, as each believer embraces God’s Word—reading, studying, meditating, and memorizing—it is the Spirit working in them, helping them to know and live it. That is all of God. Interestingly, God could have saved us and then left us on our own. But that’s not who He is. He is wonderful and loves us. For this reason, He has given us blessings we could not earn and did not deserve. Still, they are working in our lives every day. These grace gifts are teaching us.

What are they teaching us? They are teaching us how we can deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. In other words, His grace teaches us what we need to “put off” in our lives. In turn, His grace teaches us what to “put on” in our lives. Note that it teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly. In other words, as a believer, you have everything you need to live the way God desires for you right now. There are no excuses because of God’s amazing grace. I hear believers say all the time that they can’t do this or that. Frankly, please pardon my blunt statement, all of that is hogwash. Saying such things means you do not truly understand the grace of God. God’s grace is so much more than just salvation. Grace saves us but also works even now to train us. I am afraid too many believers use such excuses simply because they enjoy living in their ungodliness and worldly lusts. If that’s the case, then be honest about it. Don’t blame it on God, for He has done nothing but good for you. In fact, He continues to do good in your life. Your desire and ability to live for Him come solely from Him. Therefore, we can be thankful for His grace as it continues to work in our lives. Instead of making excuses, we should embrace what He has provided and commit to allowing it to train us. We should be determined to live for Him and be the witnesses of His grace that He intended.

Transition: But even as grace trains us, we may still fear: “What if I fail? What if I fall? What if I lose what God has given?” That’s why the gospel doesn’t stop with training—it anchors us in eternal security.

Grace Secures Us in God’s Hand

John 10:28–29 KJV 1900

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

The blessings of God’s grace never cease. This final point is one of the most assured promises from God. I have never understood how people can genuinely study Scripture and walk away believing they could lose their salvation. It’s beyond my understanding. Yes, we mess up. Yes, we fail. Yes, we struggle with our sin nature every day. Yet, nowhere in Scripture does it suggest that messing up or failing jeopardizes our salvation. The words of Christ in John 10 affirm that we can never be snatched out of His hand. In fact, the picture I get from these verses is this: we, at the moment of salvation, are placed in Christ’s hand. Christ’s hand is in the Father’s hand. If we are in Christ’s hand, which is embedded in God’s hand, I am quite sure there is no person or force greater or more powerful than God. He is the Almighty God. No enemy, no failure, and no power can undo what God has secured. Let me share a couple of verses that help us understand this.

John 6:37 KJV 1900

37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

This is a great verse. Why is that? Christ specifically says that whoever comes to Him that He “will in no wise cast out.” Again, as believers, we will fail. It is inevitable. Even the great apostle, Paul, noted his failures. We all will fail. However, we can rest assured that no matter how big or small our failure, Christ will in no wise cast us out.

Here is another.

Romans 8:38–39 KJV 1900

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I believe that pretty much sums it up. Nothing, not even death itself, can separate us from God’s love and, I might add, His presence.

Here is one more as we reach the conclusion.

1 John 5:11–13 KJV 1900

11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

These are great verses. In a sense, they are the nutshell of God’s grace. This record refers to God’s gift of His Word. He gave it. It records His plan of grace. What was His plan? His plan was to give us eternal life through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is grace. All of this was done and recorded so that we KNOW (have absolute confidence) that we have eternal life.

Transition to Conclusion: So from beginning to end, salvation is grace: grace that saves, grace that trains, grace that secures. And when we see this, our only response is gratitude—rooted in grace, living in grace, and resting in grace.

Conclusion

Grace is not just how we begin the Christian life—it’s how we live it, how we grow in it, and how we rest secure in it. We’ve seen today that grace saves us as a gift, trains us for godly living, and secures us in the unshakable hand of God. From start to finish, salvation is not our achievement—it is God’s gracious work.

So what do we do with this truth? We respond with gratitude. We stop striving to earn what’s already given. We stop fearing what cannot be lost. And we start living—soberly, righteously, and godly—because grace is not just a doctrine, it’s a daily power.

Let this truth rise in your heart: you are held by grace, taught by grace, and saved by grace. Let it humble you, embolden you, and fill you with joy. Because when grace is understood, it changes everything.

And here’s the final word: If grace is the gift, then gratitude is the life—rooted in grace, living in grace, resting in grace.

Altar Call

Today, you’ve heard the truth: salvation is not earned, it’s given. Grace is not a reward for the righteous—it’s a gift for the guilty. And that gift is offered to you right now.

If you’ve been trying to earn God’s favor, striving to be good enough, fearing

you’ve gone too far—come. Lay down your efforts. Receive the gift.

If you’ve received salvation but have been resisting God’s training—come. Surrender to His grace that teaches, shapes, and empowers you to live godly in this present world.

If you’ve been living in fear, wondering if you’ll lose what God gave—come. Rest in His promise. No one can pluck you from His hand.

This is your moment to respond. Not with performance, but with faith. Not with excuses, but with surrender. Not with fear, but with gratitude.

Come forward if you need to receive Christ for the first time. Come if you need to renew your walk with Him. Come if you simply want to thank Him for grace that saves, trains, and secures.

Because grace changes everything—and it’s changing you, right now.

Will you come and be rooted in grace?