- Faith, belief that Jesus is Lord, is a gift.
- This faith results in grace, power.
- This power can be used, by stepping out in attempting and succeeding in doing good works.
- These good works are not a sign of inherent righteousness of a believer.
- The righteousness of a believer is already guaranteed through imputation.
- The good works are assurance of a functional faith leading to the giving of grace. See, we struggled with good works before, now its like falling of a log!
If not the above, then what?
It seems that they don't think that works are PROOF of a genuine faith, loyalty. Works they also claim, could possibly be false fruit, not of the Holy Spirit, us trying to force ourselves to believe we actually are living out our mentally assented fact of Jesus indeed being Lord, instead of a natural outworking of that belief.
So what is my version?
- Salvation by grace through faith is a gift.
- This grace is a result of faith.
- Good works are what prove our faith is deep.
- Righteousness is actually reckoned/credited to a believer because of good works.
- Assurance of salvation is by sight, not hope.
Lets tackle Point 1.
Salvation by grace through faith is a gift.
We must understand that Ephesians 2:8 was written to the Gentiles. A huge question loomed in all minds in the first church. Had God’s Word failed? Weren’t the Jews promised salvation through being Abraham’s seed? Were Abraham’s seed not identified by circumcision, one of the requirements, rituals of obedience, of Torah? How could Gentiles be Abraham’s seed?
Paul’s answer was that Abraham was saved by faith, before circumcision. Abraham was the precedent, the father, the prototype of all who would be saved by faith.
How was Abraham saved?
Abraham was saved by grace, a gift, through faith.
If Abraham was saved by circumcision (law, works) then he had something to boast, claim. Then his salvation would not be a gift, but a purchase or a wage. His status would of a worker who worked and bought his salvation through self effort. But since he never exerted any effort, what he received was free.
Now, the Gentiles were saved with the same salvation, not requiring works. And even that was a gift, free, undeserved.
Previously they were not included in the covenants, were without hope, made enemies because of the separation created by the requirements of conversion (circumcision and obedience to Torah).
Now they were (included). They never did anything, did not perform well in righteousness, because all people groups performed miserably.
I repeat:
EVEN THEIR INCLUSION WAS A GIFT.
Ephesians 2
8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
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The problem with that exegesis of the verse is that this is a neuter pronoun and faith is a feminine noun. While a pronoun's case is determined by its function in the sentence, it gender and number are determined by its antecedent. Therefore, this cannot be referring back to faith. But grace also is feminine, so it cannot be the antecedent of τοῦτο. So what is?
If you looks backwards for an antecedent, you will look in vain. There are neuter nouns, but they make no sense as an antecedent.
The answer is to know a little Greek! When Greek wants to refer back to a general though, perhaps a phrase, the pronoun can be in the neuter. This is not of yourselves does not refer specifically to πίστεως but rather to the entire salvific process, of which faith obviously is a part. It is the entire salvific process that is God's gracious gift and is not part of our own doing. It is a gift.
Antecedents and Faith (Eph 2:8-9) | billmounce.com
The entire process of salvation, of which faith is a part, is a gift.
Gentiles have been given salvation. What type of salvation?
Salvation by grace through faith.
I’ve just been given a warning that my beliefs are Pelagian and may lead to banning, following due process. So if I suddenly don’t show up, please excuse me for it.