If The World Ended Right Now, Would You Be Saved? Eph 2:1-10

Eph 2: 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 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. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 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. 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. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

If you are worried about your salvation, hear the good news of Epistle to the Ephesians 2:1–10.

Paul does not begin by telling us to try harder. He does not say, “You were struggling and needed improvement.” He says something far more radical: “You were dead.” Not weak. Not confused. Not mostly alive with a few bad habits. Dead in trespasses and sins.

Dead people do not debate techniques for self-resuscitation.

And yet look at us. We argue about baptism — dunking vs. pouring vs. sprinkling — as though the precise amount of water determines eternal life. We debate holy days, music styles, food, and drink, as though heaven is secured by liturgical precision or dietary discipline. We divide over beverages, calendars, and worship formats as if Christ were waiting for us to get the details right before He decides to save us.

But Ephesians says we were spiritually lifeless. We “walked according to the course of this world.” We were enslaved to desires. We were, by nature, children of wrath. That means salvation was never about fine-tuning our religious behavior. It was about resurrection.

Then comes the hinge of hope: “But God…”

“But God, being rich in mercy…”
“But God… because of the great love with which He loved us…”

When we were dead, He made us alive together with Christ.

Notice the direction of movement. We were not reaching up. We were being raised. We were not negotiating terms. We were being rescued. Grace is not God helping the willing; it is God awakening the dead.

And why did He make us alive?

The text gives the reasons:

1. Because He is rich in mercy.
2. Because of His great love.
3. To show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
4. So that we might walk in the good works He prepared beforehand — not to earn life, but because we now have life.

None of those reasons are:
“Because we were baptized correctly.”
“Because we kept the right day.”
“Because we avoided the wrong beverage.”
“Because our music passed inspection.”

Salvation is by grace, through faith — and even that is called “the gift of God.” Not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

If you are anxious about your salvation, look away from yourself. Look to the One who raises the dead. Your hope is not in the strength of your grip on Him, but in the strength of His mercy toward you.

The good news is not that you have finally gotten serious enough.
The good news is that God is rich in mercy.
And He makes the dead alive.

jamiec said:

The world is not ending this very instant, for most people, so for most people the question is pretty pointless. And there is far more to Christianity than narcissistic navel-gazing about whether one is “saved”, or not. The Christian life is not primarily about being saved. The Gospel is primarily about the Βασιλεια του Θεου - the Reign, Rule, Kingdom & Kingship of God; & thus, of Christ. Salvation is a result of that.

Salvation is a three-stage process, not a single finished event in the past. It is

- a past event
- a present way of life, happening now
- a hope to be fulfilled in the future.

“- None of those reasons are:
“Because we were baptized correctly.””

Baptism is obviously not a reason why God made people alive; denying that Baptism is a reason God has made us alive, is a straw man. The fact remains that Baptism saves, according to 1 Peter 3.21. Baptism is a means by which salvation comes. It is not the Author of Salvation, any more than the Bible is; but both the Bible, & Baptism, are among the created means by which God works to real-ise the salvation of the members of the community of salvation AKA the Church.

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The Gospel certainly proclaims the reign and kingship of God, but Scripture does not separate that reign from the decisive, finished saving work of Christ. Hebrews 10:14 states plainly, “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” The sacrifice of Christ is not an incomplete installment in a three-stage uncertainty; it is a completed, once-for-all atonement that perfects His people in God’s sight. Believers still grow in holiness, but their standing before God rests on a finished work, not an ongoing process that determines whether they will finally be saved.

The apostle John goes even further by grounding salvation in assurance, not ambiguity. 1 John 5:13 declares, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” Salvation is not narcissistic navel-gazing; it is confidence in the promise of God. Again he writes, “By this we know that we have passed from death to life” (1 John 3:14). The language is decisive—passed from death to life—not waiting anxiously to see how the process concludes.

As for baptism, Scripture must be interpreted in light of Scripture. While 1 Peter 3:21 says, “Baptism… now saves you,” Peter immediately clarifies, “not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but the appeal of a good conscience toward God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” The saving power is not in the water but in Christ’s resurrection and the faith that appeals to God through Him. The consistent testimony of the New Testament is that Christ alone saves. Acts 4:12 says, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Romans 10:13 adds, “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It does not say, “whoever is baptized,” but “whoever calls.” Baptism is a commanded sign and testimony of union with Christ, but it is Christ Himself—crucified and risen—who is the Author and Finisher of our salvation.

Therefore, the Kingdom of God is not opposed to personal salvation; it is established through the saving work of the King. And that salvation rests not in rites, processes, or ecclesial mediation, but in the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ and the sure promise of God to all who believe.

Jan001 said:

It is true that salvation is by grace.

How do our faith and works maintain our salvation by grace until we are approved to enter eternal life after we die?

Jesus states very plainly what his followers must do on earth in order to enter eternal life after they die.

Matthew 19:16-19
Then someone came to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. 19 Honor your father and mother. Also, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

A person does not have faith in Jesus Christ unless he obeys Jesus Christ's commandments.

He does not believe in Jesus Christ unless he obeys Jesus Christ's commandments.

Obeying God's commandments until our death will make us acceptable for eternal life.

Loving our neighbor until our death will make us acceptable for eternal life.

So, we need to align our understanding about grace, faith, and good works to fit our end goal, which is eternal life with God.

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Are you saying that to have faith we must obey Christ and that that is the way we create faith, belief? How can you say, "
Obeying God's commandments until our death will make us acceptable for eternal life." But then call salvation a free gift? You are saying that we are responsible for making ourselves acceptable for eternal life. How is that so when the bible clearly states, "he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" Titus 3:5

Notice it says saved, not will save. Furthermore, how can this all be true if John states, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 JOhn 5:13

It appears that good works are downstream from salvation and not its head waters.

Valletta said:

Nothing in that text rescinds the Word of God that tells us that Baptism saves. What Peter tells us is that it is not the physical act of washing away dirt that saves us, but the spiritual work, the work of God which saves us through Baptism. Water is only a sign of the sacrament. Justyn Martyr stated it well, Chapter 61, Apologies circa 157 A.D.:

Then they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. For Christ also said, Unless you be born again, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. John 3:5 Now, that it is impossible for those who have once been born to enter into their mothers' wombs, is manifest to all. And how those who have sinned and repent shall escape their sins, is declared by Esaias the prophet, as I wrote above; he thus speaks: Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from your souls; learn to do well; judge the fatherless, and plead for the widow: and come and let us reason together, says the Lord. And though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white like wool; and though they be as crimson, I will make them white as snow. But if you refuse and rebel, the sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. Isaiah 1:16-20
And for this [rite] we have learned from the apostles this reason. Since at our birth we were born without our own knowledge or choice, by our parents coming together, and were brought up in bad habits and wicked training; in order that we may not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed, there is pronounced over him who chooses to be born again, and has repented of his sins, the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe; he who leads to the laver the person that is to be washed calling him by this name alone. For no one can utter the name of the ineffable God; and if any one dare to say that there is a name, he raves with a hopeless madness. And this washing is called illumination, because they who learn these things are illuminated in their understandings. And in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and in the name of the Holy Ghost, who through the prophets foretold all things about Jesus, he who is illuminated is washed.

CHURCH FATHERS: The First Apology (St. Justin Martyr)

Featuring the Church Fathers, Catholic Encyclopedia, Summa Theologica and more.

www.newadvent.org

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So to be clear you attribute our salvation to the rite of baptism rather than the substitutionary act of Christ bearing all of our sins?

Jan001 said:

He saved us, yes. Why did he save us?

He saved us so that we could do the good works that his Father prepared beforehand for us to do. We were spiritually re-created in Jesus Christ to do good works! Galatians 6:15

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The good works are the result of salvation but not God's reason for saving us. Here are the reasons listed in the passage

1. Because of his great love for us
2. that he might show the incomparable riches of his grace.

We do the good works not by our power but by what God recreates us to be. We are his handiwork.

Jan001 said:

Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

This "should" isn't a suggestion! This is a command.

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It is not a command, it is what we are turned into by God: His handiwork.

Jan001 said:

Matthew 12:50
For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

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Whoever does the will of the Father is his handiwork. God is the author and finisher of our faith.

Jan001 said:

Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

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That is because those who have done the will of the father were recreated in the image of Christ.

Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Phil 2:13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Jan001 said:

"Believe" is a present tense verb. "Believing in the name of the Son of God" requires keeping his commandments.

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You are placing the cart before the horse. Commandment keeping comes from believing, adhering and depending solely upon Christ. You cant paste apples on a thorn tree to make it an apple tree.

Jan001 said:

If a person does not obey Jesus Christ, he is lying when he claims that he believes in his name. He does not have eternal life. He has condemnation.

1 John 2:4
The one who says, “I know God,” yet does not keep his commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him.

1 Corinthians 7:19
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.

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This is a fact. But they are not condemned for disobedience. Their condemnation clings to them because they resisted the Holy SPirit and thus never received the gifts of God.

Valletta said:

Rather than? Not at all. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (313/315–386/387) in his Catechetical Lecture 3 well addressed Baptism, and your specific concerns in the following sections:

10. If any man receive not Baptism, he has not salvation; except only Martyrs, who even without the water receive the kingdom. For when the Saviour, in redeeming the world by His Cross, was pierced in the side, He shed forth blood and water; that men, living in times of peace, might be baptized in water, and, in times of persecution, in their own blood. For martyrdom also the Saviour is wont to call a baptism, saying, Can you drink the cup which I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with Mark 10:38? And the Martyrs confess, by being made a spectacle unto the world, and to Angels, and to men 1 Corinthians 4:9; and you will soon confess:— but it is not yet the time for you to hear of this.

12. For you go down into the water, bearing your sins, but the invocation of grace , having sealed your soul, suffers you not afterwards to be swallowed up by the terrible dragon. Having gone down dead in sins, you come up quickened in righteousness. For if you have been united with the likeness of the Saviour's death Romans 6:5, you shall also be deemed worthy of His Resurrection. For as Jesus took upon Him the sins of the world, and died, that by putting sin to death He might rise again in righteousness; so thou by going down into the water, and being in a manner buried in the waters, as He was in the rock, art raised again walking in newness of life.

CHURCH FATHERS: Catechetical Lecture 3 (Cyril of Jerusalem)

Featuring the Church Fathers, Catholic Encyclopedia, Summa Theologica and more.

www.newadvent.org

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Here are the main takeaways I get from these passages.

1. Baptism is necessary for salvation — except for martyrs, who receive salvation through their martyrdom (“baptism of blood”).
2. Christ’s pierced side (blood and water) symbolizes two forms of baptism:
3. Jesus calls martyrdom a baptism (Mark 10:38), showing it shares in His suffering and sacrifice.
4. Baptism removes sin and seals the soul by grace, protecting the believer from spiritual destruction.
5. Baptism unites the believer with Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6:5):

Now I am going to address only points 1 and 4

Point 1 Baptism is necessary for salvation
Christ’s consistent teaching that we are saved through faith in Him. In Gospel of John 3:16 and 5:24, Jesus declares that the one who believes has eternal life and has passed from death to life. Salvation, in His own words, is granted through faith — a living trust in His person and work. Likewise, in Gospel of Luke 23:42–43, the thief on the cross is promised paradise without baptism, showing that the saving act itself is grounded in repentant faith, not the ritual. Baptism, therefore, does not cause salvation; it follows it as the outward expression of an inward reality.

However, while baptism may be downstream from salvation, refusal to be baptized is spiritually serious. In Gospel of Matthew 28:19, Christ commands His disciples to baptize those who follow Him. In Gospel of Mark 16:16, belief and baptism are joined together as the normal response to the gospel. And in Gospel of John 14:15, Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Baptism is the first public act of obedience Christ requires. Therefore, while baptism does not produce salvation, a settled refusal to obey Christ in this clear command calls into question whether genuine faith — which submits to His lordship — has truly taken root. Saving faith obeys; it does not argue its way around obedience.

Point 4 Baptism removes sin and seals the soul by grace, protecting the believer from spiritual destruction.

The claim that “baptism removes sin and seals the soul by grace, protecting the believer from spiritual destruction” assigns to the ordinance what Scripture consistently attributes to Christ Himself. Jesus does not say, “Come to the water and I will give you rest,” but, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Gospel of Matthew 11:28). The burden of sin is lifted by coming to Him. Likewise, in Gospel of John 1:29, John declares that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world — not baptism. In First Epistle of John 1:7, it is the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all sin. Scripture consistently locates forgiveness and cleansing in Christ’s atoning work, received by faith (Epistle to the Ephesians 1:7; 2:8–9).

Even passages often cited in connection with baptism clarify that the power is not in the water itself. First Epistle of Peter 3:21 explicitly says baptism saves “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” The saving efficacy is grounded in Christ’s resurrection, not the act of washing. Similarly, in Epistle to the Romans 6:3–5, baptism symbolizes union with Christ’s death and resurrection — it signifies what faith has already united the believer to spiritually.

That said, baptism remains closely tied to salvation wherever it is possible. Jesus commands it (Gospel of Matthew 28:19), and Gospel of Mark 16:16 joins belief and baptism as the normal response to the gospel. In Acts of the Apostles 2:38, repentance and baptism are proclaimed together. But in every case, the forgiveness of sins flows from Christ’s name and work (Acts 4:12), not from the physical act itself. Baptism is the ordained expression of repentance and faith — the public appeal of a conscience made alive by grace — yet it is Jesus who removes sin, seals by the Spirit (Epistle to the Ephesians 1:13), and protects from destruction. The water testifies; Christ saves.

Jan001 said:

It is true that salvation is by grace.

How do our faith and works maintain our salvation by grace until we are approved to enter eternal life after we die?

Jesus states very plainly what his followers must do on earth in order to enter eternal life after they die.

Matthew 19:16-19
Then someone came to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. 19 Honor your father and mother. Also, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

A person does not have faith in Jesus Christ unless he obeys Jesus Christ's commandments.

He does not believe in Jesus Christ unless he obeys Jesus Christ's commandments.

Obeying God's commandments until our death will make us acceptable for eternal life.

Loving our neighbor until our death will make us acceptable for eternal life.

So, we need to align our understanding about grace, faith, and good works to fit our end goal, which is eternal life with God.

Click to expand...

In Gospel of Matthew 19:16–19, when the rich young ruler asks, “What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”, Jesus replies, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments,” and then cites several from the Law. At first glance, this can sound like Jesus is teaching law-keeping as the means of salvation. But the broader context shows He is exposing the man’s misunderstanding, not endorsing works-based righteousness.

First, Jesus meets the man on his own terms. The ruler’s question assumes salvation is earned by “doing.” By directing him to the commandments, Jesus holds up the Law as the standard of righteousness — a standard the man confidently claims to have met. Yet when Jesus tells him to sell all he has and follow Him, the man walks away sorrowful. His failure reveals that he has not truly kept the Law, especially the heart of it: loving God above all (cf. Deut. 6:5). Covetousness and attachment to wealth expose his spiritual deficiency. The Law functions here as it does elsewhere in Scripture — not as a ladder to climb into heaven, but as a mirror revealing the heart (cf. Epistle to the Romans 3:20).

Second, Jesus immediately underscores human inability: “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26). That statement makes little sense if He were teaching salvation by personal obedience. Instead, it points to divine grace as the only hope. Throughout His ministry, Jesus consistently centers salvation on following Him, trusting Him, and receiving what God alone can do (see Gospel of John 6:29). The episode with the rich young ruler demonstrates that outward law-keeping cannot secure eternal life; it exposes our need for a Savior. Christ was not promoting the Law as a means of salvation — He was revealing that without surrender to Him, even the most moral life falls short.