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"By grace are you 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.
Paul is clear, and precise, as he describes the believers
relationship with God. It is dependent not on what he does
but on what God has done for him. God is the giver and people
are the receivers of the benefits He gives them. Paul sets
his profile of Jesus, His person and work, as he explains
what is God's plan for their salvation. He insists that people
need to be in a right relationship with God and that comes
with commitment to Christ for it is He who brings God close
to people and them to Him. William Temple, echoed this when
he said: "All is of God: the only thing which we can
contribute to our own salvation is the sin from which to be
redeemed."
God takes the initiative in His dealings with people. John
said that "we love God because he first loved us."
It "was God who gave" (see John 3:16). Paul would
have added: "God was in Christ personally reconciling
the world unto Himself." There is the necessity of Christ
for "Christianity is Christ".
The sinfulness, selfishness and lovelessness in people make
it necessary for God to save them from themselves, to redeem
them. Turning to God, being changed, born again, converted
are how people describe the experience which comes from the
realisation that to believe and trust in God is an essential
of life. It is the acknowledgement that "Man's chief
end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him for ever."
Sir Humphrey Davy expressed it simply when he said: "I
should prefer a firm religious faith to every other blessing."
St. Augustine had said it long before in a little prayer.
"Thou, O God, hast made us for thyself and we cannot
rest until we rest in thee."
To recognise that is to know that while the favour of God
cannot be earned it is there for those who trust in Him; when
faith responds to grace and shows in the character and conduct
of the believer. Paul is saying - though good works cannot
make us right with God when we are right with God we shall
express ourselves in behaviour pleasing to him, good for ourselves
and beneficial to other people. The dictum is "Good works
can not earn salvation but the saved will be known for their
good works."
If faith produce, no works I see That faith is not
a living tree, thus faith and works together grow;No
separate life they e're can know; They're soul and body,
hand and heart, What God hath joined, let no man part.
Hannah More.
When Paul speaks of God's grace it is of the unmerited love
of God for us. A preacher described it, "Grace is God's
giving something to someone who doesn't deserve it one little
bit."
Grace and faith, to have faith in God is to give oneself
over to His care, to make Him the guardian, companion, confidant,
and friend. It is the act of trust by which the sinner commits
himself to the Saviour. Matthew Henry makes the practical
point: "None live so easily, so pleasantly, as those
that live by faith." To which might be added: "A
firm faith is the best theology; a good life is the best philosophy;
a clear conscience the best law; honesty the best policy ....."
Another describing the Christian life, said, "We were
saved by grace, are being saved by grace and we will be saved
by grace."
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