What is Grace? (Part 3)

No discussion of grace can exclude Ephesians 2:8-10, which says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Many look at these verses and conclude that there is absolutely nothing that a person may do in order to be saved. John Calvin taught that one could not do any good works without the direct operation of the Holy Spirit on the sinner. The implications of this is that all of the verses in the Bible that talk about doing anything in response to God’s call for salvation mean absolutely nothing. Calvin’s view implies that one does not need to hear the gospel, believe it, repent, confess Christ, or much less be baptized; salvation is entirely God’s choice of to whom He will give the Holy Spirit. Why even have the Bible at all in this scenario? Paul himself practiced and taught many things contrary to this notion such as Philippians 2:12 and Colossians 1:10 where he exhorted Christians to “work out their own salvation” and be “fruitful in every good work.” The idea that there is absolutely nothing that one must do to be saved flatly contradicts many verses in the Bible such as Hebrews 5:8-9, Acts 2:38-41, Philippians 2:12, and 1 Timothy 4:16.

So what did Paul mean in Ephesians 2:8-10? Christians have been saved by the grace of God’s gift through the gospel, the power of God’s salvation today (Romans 1:16). People who want to be saved cannot conjure up some other plan; it is not of themselves to do that. Rather, salvation is for everyone who believes and demonstrates that belief by obeying Jesus’ teaching. This is not saving oneself; it is letting Jesus save us through our obedience to Him.

God bless you, and I love you.

Kevin Cauley