by Pastor Rich Carlson

Paul continues his letter with a plethora of superlatives regarding all that God has done, is doing, and will continue to do for me so that I might experience His greatest goal for me—my salvation. And it comes:

• by grace (2:8)
• through faith (2:8)
• as a gift (2:8)
• not by works (2:9)
• so that I cannot boast! (2:9)

God formed me, blessed me, and lavished on me His many blessings. I am God’s "workmanship” (2:10). He made me to “do good works” (2:10). Not so I can be saved, but because I am saved. Salvation from God changes my life. God brought me out of sin and made me a new person in Him. The result is that I will do good works. My behavior will change. I will be different than when I started. It’s not pressure to perform so I win the prize, but a privilege to present to Him the evidence that I am thankful that I am a member of God’s household (2:19).

Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. “God Is Faithful” is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.