Most Christians believe this to be true, and yet they feel a need to add things to it such as "make a commitment", or "give your heart to Christ", or "make Him your Lord", or "make a decision", and I could go on and on. All of a sudden this free gift from God sounds more like it has a string attached or a hook in it, or like it is from my own effort rather than a free gift. It makes the Good News taste a lot less "good".
Prior to the light of Christ shining in our hearts we are described as dead and in darkness. How does a corpse do anything? How do they make any decisions? What part did the dead Lazarus play in his own resurrection? Answer . . . NOTHING. God did it all!!
I remember being down deep in the Carlsbad Cavern when they turned out the lights . . . I have never experienced any darker darkness than in that hole in the ground. Picture someone in an underground limestone cave having never seen the reality of the beauty around them because of the darkness, all they have ever known is the darkness. Suddenly someone turns on the lights, revealing all the beauty that was around them all the time for them to enjoy. They don't DECIDE to believe in the existence of stalagmites, or stalactites, or waterfalls, or pools of crystal clear water, they see it and just know it to be true.
The light being turned on is the same as the faith that is a gift from God spoken of in Ephesians. His Spirit "turns on the light" showing the dead person that all his sins are forgiven, he is loved unconditionally, he has the presence of God inside of him, he is assured of eternity spend in a fabulous place called heaven. He doesn't need to make a decision, or make God his lord, or promise anything at all. It is all his freely out of the loving heart of a gracious God! Now this tastes a lot more like Good News to me.
Way to go God!!!
