How are Grace and Faith Related? - Ephesians 2
Made Alive in Christ
2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins. The word for dead used here is the word "necro". Of course, Paul is talking about a spiritual death since they are still physically alive. Just as a corpse is powerless to come back to life on its own, so when were dead in sin we could not make ourselves alive.
2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. The condition of being dead in our sin is universal. This was not something unique to the Ephesians, but something they shared with all human beings before and after them. Again we see the universal nature of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. In addition to our sinful nature, we were also were heavily influenced by the ruler of the world, Satan. He was the same one who was at work in the garden enticing Adam and Eve to fall from grace. He continues to work in those who are rejecting God today.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. None of us were born as a Christian. We were born children of a fallen humanity. Romans 3:10 says, "There is no one righteous no not even one." (See also in Psalms 14, 53 and 143) Because God is perfectly holy and righteous we deserved judgment just like everyone else. If God could tolerate evil and just look the other way God would be denying part of his very nature.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, Thank God we now get to the Good News, but without the bad news we don't have the Good News. Notice it is because of God's GREAT love for us that He is rich and mercy. Though God is a God of judgment, He is RICH in mercy. This is also part of His inherent nature just as being a righteous judge is. Note once again this was all God's prerogative, we didn't do anthing to initiate it.
5 He made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Though we WERE dead, God made us alive. The definition of grace is "unmerited favor", or getting something we don't deserve. You can see how dependent we were on God, who gave us all of his riches though we were a spiritually dead corpse. Until we see how helpless and powerless we were, we can not understand the magnitude of God's amazing grace.
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, Though we are located on earth physically, we are seated with Christ at God's right hand spiritually speaking. Though we cannot see this, it is a reality that is seen in the spiritual realm. This is more evidence that once we are saved, we cannot lose our salvation.
7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. God's work of making us alive when we were dead in Christ shows the world His glory. Though the whole word cannot see these glorious riches He lavished on us through Christ, one day everyone will see when Jesus returns.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast. This is one of the great verses in all of the bible. It sums up quite succinctly the essence of what a Christian believes. Note grace is the means by which we receive faith. Faith is the gift which was empowered first by grace. Without grace there is nothing to have faith in. To further emphasize his point, Paul reiterates that this is neither grace nor faith is from ourselves. It is not as if through our own faith we have somehow earned the grace of God. Faith is the supernatural ability to trust in the grace God has given us in Christ.
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Notice once again the order. Our works flow out of what God created us to do in advance. Good works are the outflow of God's grace working through us by faith. Handiwork is the same word we use for "poetry". We are God's artwork and the good works we don't earn His love but reflect His love for us and for the world.
How well do you think you have been able to understand Paul's teaching about grace, faith, and works here? Are you tempted as I have been to think somehow we contribute to our own salvation? Or,that our works somehow impress God and improve the amount of grace we receive? How can a misunderstanding of verse 8 lead us to do works that do glorify us but not God? Consider yourself blessed if you have received this precious gift and do your best to share with with others the same grace you have been given. The great thing about this understanding of grace is when you share it with others you don't have to try and convert them or manipulate them. They too are called by the Gospel to trust in God's great love for them.
Comments
Post a Comment