For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8 – 10

I must read this again.  We are created in Christ Jesus.  I was created when sperm fertilized egg!  My entire being is a miracle of grace.  I had absolutely nothing to do with that.  An outstanding mystery but true beyond a doubt.  Paul has it right – no one can boast about being born.  None of us had anything to do with that.

We then come to the new birth.  We see the same truth – we were created by God to do good works.  We who are new-born did not decide to do good works.  God decided to get his good works done by bringing us into the picture where we walk with God in doing good.  So, we can take no credit for doing good.  It is God at work in us, the very Spirit of Jesus Christ.  Our boast is that Jesus is in us doing good.

AMEN