Salvation by Grace

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, (Ephesians 2:8-9).  God's Grace is defined as the unmerited favor of God.  According to Paul's letter to the Ephesians, we are saved by the unmerited favor of God.

In the previous studies of faith and obedience, we learned from scripture that our faith must be perfected by obedience [works].  A faith devoid of obedience to the will of God is dead.  Paul is teaching the Christians at Ephesus that our salvation is not of works, lest any man should boast.  If our salvation is not of works [obedience], then how can Paul be teaching the necessity of works [obedience] to the Romans and not to the Ephesians?

Paul didn't just teach obedience to the Romans.  He taught it to the Ephesians and others as well.  "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them," (Ephesians 2:10).  Paul did not teach different doctrines to different groups of people.  He affirmed to the Romans that there was no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles as far as salvation was concerned.  "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.  For WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," (Romans 10:12-13). 

Paul was not the only inspired writer of the Bible that taught obedience either.  Peter teaches that the Christians purified their souls, "... in obeying the truth through the Spirit..." (1 Peter 1:22).  John taught "...:he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever," (1 John 2:17).  John quoted Jesus in his Gospel, "...they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation..." (John 5:29).  Luke quoted Jesus as saying, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.", (Luke 9:23).

Obedience [works] is biblically linked to our salvation, so what did Paul mean when he said that salvation was a gift from God and not of works?

When Adam disobeyed God, sin came into the world, (Romans 5:19).  The wages of sin is death, (Romans 6:23).   Death came into the world by sin and all have sinned, (Romans 5:12).  God demands punishment for sin and there is only one punishment.  The disobedience of every one on earth is what put Jesus on the cruel cross of Calvary.  Jesus suffered and died in our place so that we could have a chance at life.  Without Jesus, we would all be doomed to everlasting separation from God.   In order to gain eternal life with your works, you would have to be able to go back in time, atone for the sins of all the world, and keep Jesus from ever being nailed to that cross. 

Following every commandment of Jesus and the will of God perfectly could never accomplish that.  Nothing we could ever do could pay God and Jesus back for what they had to do so that we could escape the death we earned with our disobedience.  In order to work our way to heaven, we would have to be able to place God in our debt.  When a worker earns a wage, the employer becomes indebted to the worker and owes him the recompense for work performed.  What could we possibly do to make God owe us anything?  By being obedient to the will of God, we are simply doing what we were commanded to do.

Jesus illustrates this in his parable of the unprofitable servant; "Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.  So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do, (Luke 17:9-10).

Salvation is truly a gift from God.  He does not, nor ever will owe us anything no matter what we may do in this life.  Our obedience is commanded and required.  Did not what Jesus do on that cross inspire us to do all we can in His service?  Does He not deserve our best effort?  Our submissive obedience to Jesus is the only way we can really honor Him for the sacrifice He made for our behalf.   If we are disobedient children we are promised the wrath of God, (Ephesians 5:6, Colossians 3:6).  If we are obedient until the end we are promised eternal life, (Matthew 10:22).

"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed." (John 6:27)

"And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46)

Our salvation is only by the unmerited favor of God, [grace], and we are given this grace for our obedience to the faith.

Romans 1:5
By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

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