Note 10 at Eph. 2:4: The previous verse described the hopeless condition of the entire world. But thanks be to God that Paul didn't stop there. He said in this verse, "But God." Without God every person and every situation is hopeless. "But God" has intervened and now there is an answer to every problem through Christ. Regardless of how bad the report in the natural is, we need to remember, "But God."

Note 11 at Eph. 2:4: This verse reveals God's motive for providing salvation for us. God wasn't motivated to save us through pity or even a sense of obligation as our Creator. He was motivated solely by love. God loves us. Therefore, accepting salvation is accepting God's love. Anyone who prays only to escape hell and doesn't receive God's love is missing the whole point of salvation (see note 94 at Jn. 17:3, p. 503).