Please provide a Scripture that teaches that faith unto salvation is a gift of God.
And do not think to quote Ephesians 2:8-9
Ephesians 2 (WEB)
Bolding mine… 8 For
by grace you have been saved
through faith, and
this is not of yourselves; it is the
gift of God,
9 not of works, that no one would boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
This particular Ephesians Scripture flatly declares that saving grace is “
through faith (
Eph 2:8).”
The portion of these verses that is a stumbling point is:
“ – and
this is not of yourselves, it is the
gift of God, not of
works, that no one would boast.” (
Eph 2:5)
Many are confused about what
“this” is referring to that is the “
gift of God, and not of
works.”
Is “
this” referring back to the
“for it is by grace you have been saved
”?
Or is “
this” referring to ‘grace’
and “through faith”
?
Or is “
this” referring only to “through faith”
?
Grammar indicates that:
- “For it is by grace you have been saved” is the subject
- “through faith” is the modifier of the subject, in that; “faith” is the agent by which ‘God’s grace onto salvation’ (subject) is received. “through” is the verb.
Since “
by grace are you saved“ is the
subject of the paragraph, then in the 2nd sentence (
verse 9) “
this” would seem to be referring back to the
subject (“by grace are you saved“
), and not the modifier of the subject (“through faith”) in the previous sentence. Calvinists argue that the whole previous sentence is referred to in “
this.”
To undeniably prove or disprove if
verse 9 is referring specifically to the “
by grace are you saved” (the
subject in verse 8) we have to search other Scriptures to see if any Scriptures ever teach that:
- faith is a product of God’s saving grace.
- faith onto salvation is ever taught to be a gift of God.
- faith onto salvation is ever taught to be a work.
Is faith onto salvation an act of God’s grace?
Scripturally, God’s saving grace and mercy are received only by faith just as we read from Scripture itself. Clear examples are:
Ephesian 2:8; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 5:1-2. See also: Heb 11; John 3:14-18; 1 Pet 1:4-9.
Is faith unto salvation a gift?
No Scripture states or teaches that
faith onto salvation is a
gift of God. Some ‘scholars’ object, citing “
1 Corinthians 12:9” and “Romans 12:3-8.” However, these Scriptures are discussing the gifts of the Spirit and the faith to carry out specific gifts - to those already saved.
Scripture repeatedly teaches that “
Gift” refers to
God’s saving grace – God graciously accrediting righteousness to those of faith. This
“Gift” of grace is righteousness, and is
only receive by faith.
Romans 4:4-5 (NIV) Bolding mine… 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
Romans 4:4-5 (just quoted) teaches that we
receive God’s Gift (
being accredited righteousness)
by Faith.
See also: Romans 5:17. Faith itself is
not the gift.
The “
Gift of God” is God graciously imputing His righteousness to those who believe in Jesus.
Romans 3:22-24
22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Revelation 22:17
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come.
He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Regeneration of the indwelling Spirit only by faith...
John 7:37-39 (WEB)
Bolding mine…
37 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “
If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! 38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.”
39 But he said this about the Spirit, which
those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.
John 3:16 (WEB)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Let’s review another Scripture. . .
Romans 6 (WEB)
Bolding mine… 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free
gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The “
gift of God” refers to “eternal life.” We only receive God’s gracious gift of eternal life though faith in Christ Jesus according to
every Scripture in the Bible,
in context. Examples were given.
Considering the evidence, we must conclude that the second sentence of
Ephesians 2:8-9 “
this is not of yourselves but is the
gift of God –
not of works” must be referring back to the subject “
By grace are you saved,” which
is the
gift of God, not of works. This is what Scripture actually teaches in context.
Is Faith a Work?
Let’s go a step further, and show conclusively whether
faith onto salvation is
ever taught to be a “work” in Scripture.
Romans 3:27-28 (WEB)
Bolding mine… 27 Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works?
No, but by a law of faith.
28 We maintain therefore that a man is
justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
Romans 4:4-5 (NIV)
Bolding mine… 4 Now to the one
who works, his wages are
not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who
does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly,
their faith is
credited as righteousness.
Romans 9:30-33 (WEB)
Bolding mine… 30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the
righteousness which is of faith;
31 but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness.
32 Why? Because
they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;
33 even as it is written,
“Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and
no one who believes in him will be disappointed.”
Galatians 2:15-16 (WEB)
Bolding mine… 15 We, being Jews by nature, and not Gentile sinners,
16 yet knowing that
a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be
justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.
Clearly then, if we review the context of Scripture,
faith is contrasted to, or the opposite of,
works according to the inspired Word of God.
Scripture itself teaches us, then, that:
faith is not by God’s grace
faith is not God’s gift
faith is not a work
Rather, we
gain access to the
gift of
saving grace (not by works)
through faith in Christ Jesus -
Romans 5:1-2.
So in
Ephesians 2:9 we read as follows:
- “this is not of yourselves,
- it is the gift of God
- - not of works lest any man should boast”
It’s
all referring back to the
subject in
Ephesians 2:8, which is:
“
By grace are you have been saved” (the
gift and
work of God).
Why? . . . because
- Faith is not by grace.
- Faith is not a gift
- Faith is not a work.
Rather, Scripture only refers to:
- Salvation that is by God’s Grace.
- Salvation that is the Gift of God
- Salvation that is the work of God
God Gracious Gift of Salvation – the regenerative work of God –
*is receive by Faith
(Romans 5:1-3)
*is kept by the power of God through faith
(1 Peter 1:4-5)
*The end result of your faith is your salvation
(1Peter 1:9)
What about Ephesians 2:10?
Ephesians 2:10 (WEB) states: 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
The Christian is “created in Christ” by the Spirit we receive by faith:
Ephesians 1 (NIV)
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
John 7:37-39 (WEB) Bolding mine
38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.
”
39 But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.
The
“good works” God prepared for us to do is only accomplished when, by faith, we obey that same Spirit we received by faith.
Romans 8:12-13
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters,
we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
Galatians 5:24-25 (WEB)
24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.
Galatians 6:8 (WEB) 8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap
eternal life.
Galatians 5 (WEB)
16 But I say,
walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Therefore, regeneration is God’s work in those
who, by faith, obey His Spirit that indwells the believer. This is regeneration – only by faith.
To do the good works that God created us for, we must, by faith, be in Christ, which is to be obedient to His Spirit who lives in us by faith to be saved. We saw the Scriptures. And that is why we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling (living by God’s Spirit in us). By so doing, God is working out His will in our lives.
Philippians 2 (WEB)
12 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.
Paul is not teaching a works salvation here; but rather, Paul is establishing that a Bible faith in Christ means we are now disciples of Christ, living by His Spirit. . . “19 Go, and
make disciples of all nations teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (
Matthew 28:19). We are dead to the old life and alive in Christ.
To be created in Christ is salvation, which is God’s regenerative work from sin and death – only in those who faithfully walk by God’s Spirit whom they receive by faith. As we saw by Scripture, God’s gift of saving grace is only accessed by faith. This begins the New Life in the Spirit. The end result of your faith is your salvation.