The Center of Salvation
Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus lays a foundation for the power of salvation that is achieved through Jesus’ death and resurrection. The core of the Christian faith is found in this event.
The forgiveness of sins that we experience as Christians came through the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross. Jesus lived a perfect life, and became a perfect sacrifice for the brokenness of all mankind. Without the shedding of blood, there would be no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). And without the forgiveness of sins, we would not be able to approach our holy and perfect God. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection made a way for us to have a relationship with Him.
Jesus gave His life once and for all, which means that He doesn’t have to die again. All of your sins—past, present, and future—are forgiven through Jesus. In fact, nothing can separate you from the love God has for you.
Paul says that all of this is in line with God’s grace and His promises. All throughout Scripture God promises to redeem His people. He promises to rescue them and free them from their bondage to sin and brokenness. God accomplishes this through Jesus.
Think about God’s great love and grace for you. Do you feel forgiven and set free? Or are you weighed down by your mistakes? Spend some time talking to God, thanking Him for what He has done for you. Remind yourself of God’s promises. Ask Him to fill you with the knowledge of His love and grace.
Centering Our Hearts
One of the most important biblical topics is your own heart. Throughout the biblical story, God shows that He is not nearly as interested in your money, time, or service as much as He is your heart.
Why is this important? Jesus taught his disciples that the heart is the center of our lives. Our emotions and our desires flow from the condition of our heart. If God gets access to our heart, then the rest of our lives follow after.
In Matthew 6:21, Jesus says that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. The things that we treasure in our life reveal where our heart truly is. The things that we think about, spend our money on, and use our energy to attain—that is where our heart is.
But it's not enough to just not let our hearts dwell on those things. Instead, we need to train our hearts to dwell on Jesus. The apostle Paul encourages us to dwell on the things that are of God:
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,...