Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

What a plan of salvation! We should thank God every day for making our salvation a matter of grace, rather than meritorious works. This is certainly a cause for joy in our hearts. There is a relationship between grace and joy. The Greek word for grace is “charis,” and refers to the un-merited favor bestowed upon us by God. The Greek word for joy is “chara,” showing that the Greek words for grace and joy come from the same root word. Charis points to the state of being highly favored, while “chara” is the joy and happiness that is experienced as a result of it.

Grace is both the cause and effect of our Lord’s saving work on the cross. Because of grace, God was willing to sacrifice His Son for our redemption, and the effects of that grace are the forgiveness of sins, fellowship with God, and eternal life enjoyed by man. Grace, however, is conditional. We are saved by grace through faith.

Grace is God’s part, and faith is our part. Without faith, man will not experience the benefits of God’s grace. While there is certainly a gracious aspect to faith itself, it is something that we must develop for ourselves. The grace involved in faith has to do with God giving us the means to have it, which is the Word of God. Paul said, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Without God graciously giving us His Word, there would be no way for us to possess saving faith. Our responsibility is to believe God’s Word when we hear it…something that the majority of people will not do.

John 1:11-12 (ESV)
¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

“Believed” in this passage is a present tense verb in the active voice, which shows that it is something that man does, not something that is done to him. Many so-called scholars missed this, especially those with Calvinistic leanings, because they misapply Ephesians 2:8. They apply the words, “And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” to faith, but that is not correct. The gift Paul is referring to is the salvation that comes through faith, not faith itself.

Salvation is a gift; in fact, it is the greatest gift we could ever be given. Paul says that it is not the result of works. Please do not equate works with obedience. Paul would never teach such a thing. The Hebrews writer tells us that Jesus is the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9). Even Paul said we must work out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12). The works that Paul is referring to in Ephesians 2:9 are works of the law that constituted sinless living. If salvation were the result of our sinless living, we could boast about it, but since it is not, there is no room for boasting.

We rejoice because we are saved despite our imperfections. We have all sinned, and the only thing that can eradicate sin is the precious blood of our Savior. This is true whether it involves alien sinners who have never obeyed the gospel (Matthew 26:28), or Christians who sin after they obey the gospel (1 John 1:7). We all rely on the blood of Jesus, provided for us by the grace of God. What a great plan of salvation! We should all thank God every day.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.