I saw the graphic above and I saw that it was missing one key truth.
The missing equation.
100% God
100% Man
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24
Do we think God expects more from us today than he did from the Old Testament saints?
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Deuteronomy 6:5
Let’s quote Jesus,
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37
The source of so much false doctrine is found when one takes a scripture like Ephesians 2:8-9 to the exclusion of the rest of the New Testament.
Ephesians is beautiful and true. 100%
However, it is not MORE true to the point of silencing the rest of the scriptural record.
Keep reading for a fuller and more perfect understanding.
Read in Ephesians 4.
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
KEEP READING into Ephesians chapter 5.
It’s not grace plus zero.
It’s grace and faith that will lead us to obedient diligence to live a life that is in keeping with the scriptures that teach us, instruct us, and command us to “DO” certain things.
IF we don’t do those things, then we are in fact not saved by grace because we are disobedient to the Word of God.
True faith obeys. If there is no obedience, there is no faith.
Game over.