Salvation by Grace and Not of Works
Ephesians 2: 8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith”. Faith is not the cause of salvation. The statement of scripture is not, by faith are ye saved. Faith is an integral part of salvation but the saints of God are not saved because they believe the gospel. The saints of God believe the gospel because God has saved them. Faith is the means by which God lets His saints know that He has saved them. The saints of God are those who were set apart in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world. The Saints are “sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called” (Jude 1:1). The saints are sanctified persons, that is, persons who were set apart in eternity past according to the will of God the Father unto salvation, and they are preserved in Jesus Christ. Their preservation in Jesus Christ is because the Father’s favor toward them, which is His grace. The grace of God is God’s favor toward those who He has chosen in Jesus Christ regardless of their works, as it is written: “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:3-5). God the Father has favored His chosen people, as it is written: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:28-31).
“If God be for us” then He has graced us. If God has favored us in His love for us, who can be against us in any prevailing manner? This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world, as it is written: “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (II Timothy 1:8-9). The statement of scripture is “By grace are ye saved through faith” it is by the free favor of God that His people are saved through faith. Faith is the experiential effect of salvation. The saints of God are given the Spirit of truth (John14:17; Ezekiel 36:27) who witnesses the truth to those in whom God the Father has put Him. The Spirit of truth witnesses the truth to the children of God, and teaches the truth by the word of truth, so that the children of God know and walk in truth (III John 1:3-4), and they know the Father through the Spirit as Christ Jesus reveals the Father in His own Person, word, and finished work (II Corinthians 4:6; John 17:4).
“And that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” Faith is the supernatural gift of God, it is not of this world, nor is it according to the natural reasoning of men. It is given to the children of God to believe on Jesus Christ, as it is written: “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” (Philippians 1:29). “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” (I Corinthians 12:3). “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).
Although faith is supernatural and not of this world, God uses means which involve natural men in the gift of that rare and wonderful, heavenly gift. As it is written: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:13-17). God usually gives His gifts of grace to those who honor His ordinary means of grace by their personal involvement in them and their personal use of them, such as attending the preaching of the gospel, prayer, and the study of His word. God is under no obligation to give His gifts of grace to any particular person, except those whose names He has from eternity posted in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:27; Hebrews 12:23).
“Not of works, lest any man should boast” All the works of men are polluted works because they come forth from sinners. They bear the taint of pollution, filthiness, guilt, and rebellion. The only way that the work of men is accepted of God is that the work be washed in the intercession, and sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ. All that can be expected from an open fountain of corruption is more corruption. Unless our works and our worship be cleansed by the intercession of Christ they must be rejected as polluted and works of iniquity. Even the iniquity of our prayers, worship services, witness to the truth, and our thoughts must be cleansed by the blood Christ and accepted in Christ as we ourselves are accepted in Christ (Exodus 28:38; Ephesians 1:6). As it is written: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6). Any person who is not fully trusting in the blood of Christ Jesus alone as his only ground of acceptance before a Thrice Holy God is not in the way of truth. The preachers of Matthew Seven were doing things they thought were right, but having rejected the truth of salvation by grace in Christ alone they were relying on their works, as it is written: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23).
It seems that many in our day are of the opinion that the grace of God in Christ Jesus alone is not enough to bring salvation. They insist that persons must exhibit good works as the final step in salvation of the saints in order to be accepted of God. This was the error of the false teachers who had invaded Galatia in the days of the apostle Paul. These false preaches were attempting to bind the consciences of the Galatian saints under the bondage of law works by denying the sufficiency of salvation by the grace of God in Christ Jesus alone, as it is written: “And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1). The history of the event continues in this manner: “But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they” (Acts 15:5-11).
Salvation is without the law, because justification is without the law, for the righteousness of God in without the law, as it is written: “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:21-24). Believers are eternally justified freely by the grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Each and every member of Christ has fulfilled the law in Jesus Christ the Head of the church with whom they have union. And in fulfilling the law in Christ Jesus their Head, they have the fulfilled the righteousness of the God in Christ. And are made the righteousness of God in Christ, as it is written: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21).
The salvation of God is “not of works, lest any man should boast”. It is not of the works of men because it is and must forever be the free gift of God springing from the eternal, immutable and infinite love of God. God’s salvation for men is without the law because God saves by grace alone, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24). His grace is an extension of His goodness and the “good pleasure of His goodness” (II Thessalonians 1:11). The cause of salvation is the love, purpose, and grace of God in and through Jesus Christ and not by the law works of men. The salvation of God for men is not by their keeping the law, as it is written: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19-20).
The grace of God is in Christ without the works of the law that is, it is not by our personal keeping the law. Christ Jesus with whom the church is one, has fulfilled the law to its jot and tittle ( Matthew 5:17-18). The saints of God rest in His finished work, they do not seek to add to that finished work for it is perfect according to the will of God the Father. And they are perfected through that work which was once accomplished forever and finished by God manifest in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16), as it is written: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once (translators additions omitted: writer) And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).
But someone may protest, saying: “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:20-26). And again it is written: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works” (Revelation 20:12-13). By the expression “by works was faith made perfect?” is meant that Abraham’s work demonstrated His faith to be justifying faith, that is, the faith of God’s elect, true faith the gift of God.
Judgment according to the presence of works discovers or reveals whether the faith which prompts the work is real God given faith, or whether it is simply hypocritical, and founded on something other than a true belief of the doctrine of the gospel. Faith must be tried, as it is written: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:7). And again: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:2-3). True faith worketh by love, as it is written: “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love” (Galatians 5:6). Justifying faith works by love, Justifying faith does not work for justification, nor for sanctification, nor reconciliation, nor redemption, nor salvation. Justifying faith works from a principle of love of God and a desire to do His will. Those who believe the gospel from the heart do no works to obtain justification. The possessor of justifying faith knows by the word of God that he is justified by the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ having been chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. Therefore the possessor of justifying faith walks in those works which were ordained by the Father who created him in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). Christians are justified by faith, and faith is judged by the work it produces through love. True faith will endure because God is the author of it. Spurious faith will stumble at something and fall in this life (Matthew 13:18-23) or it will be revealed at the judgment (Matthew 7:21-23).
AJ Ison
See the writer’s blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com hear the true gospel preached at www.13thstbaptist.org webcasting live at listed service times.
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