1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

2 in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

3 All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God

— Ephesians 2:1-3, 8

And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

— Deuteronomy 6:5

24 Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

26 What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

— Matthew 16:24-26

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and salvation from Christ to you.

Another confusion of the gospel teaches that you can earn salvation by loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself. In reality, it is impossible to produce this kind of love before salvation. This false gospel message comes out of Deuteronomy 6:5 — You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Although Jesus said this was the greatest commandment, He didi not imply that a person could earn salvation by obeying it. It is believing the good news about Jesus that saves a soul, not loving God and others.

The confusion of following Jesus and bearing your cross is also commonly seen about the gospel. Jesus did say to His disciples to deny themselves, take up their crosses and follow Him. This is a sanctification passages for His believing followers rather than a how-to-be saved passage for unbelievers. When Jesus spoke of someone losing their life and forfeiting their soul, He was not talking about the believers forfeiting their souls in hell. Jesus was warning believers to not miss out on the abundant life and become unfruitful in service here on earth. He was speaking against the believers selling out to the world.