We Are Saved!

Ephesians 2:8–10 NASB95

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Thesis: To firmly remind believers and inform others of the process and purpose of salvation.

The Holy Spirit moves apostle Paul to elaborate further on their status and process of salvation. Remember that a principle from God’s word is when concepts are repeated, it is firm in God’s mind and he wants humans to know that and stay reminded of it.

The Process

By Grace (How? Source of Salvation)

Remember that Paul has said that GOD made us alive so that in the ages to come he might display boundless riches of his grace. From there Paul picks up his by the way statement in verse 5, beginning to explain the process of salvation. Salvation means to be safe from danger. One is safe because they have been rescued. The danger he just spoke about was being dead, and he explained how GOD countered that condition. Where did the salvation process begin, by grace! God’s favor. God’s face shining toward humanity, which indicates his relationship, provision, and protection on their lives.

Doesn’t everybody benefit from God’s grace? Sure, but there are distinct benefits coming from his grace. God’s general grace or goodness, Acts 14:17

Acts 14:17 NASB95

17 and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

But here Paul refers to salvation, safety from eternal spiritual death and destruction. That is by his grace.

Through Faith (How? Process that Operates Salvation)

But then Paul includes a word that he didn’t in his by the way statement in verse 5, and that’s faith. Which is a complete reliance on something, to the point that it leads to obedience. Well what does faith do in the salvation process? Grace brings salvation, and Faith allows access to that grace (Ro 5:2; Tit 2:11).

Illustration: Jessyca and I just got our yard aerated and seeded, and it requires a lot of watering. To water a full yard, you don’t just turn the water on. You have to run hoses throughout the yard and connect them to sprinklers. Without the hose and sprinklers, the grass has no access to the water.

Grace is similar to the water which is abundantly ready at the water tap. Faith is like the hose, sprinkler, and valve! Opening the valve is when faith has responded and can now receive what flows from grace! Salvation!!!

From God’s Generosity (From who?)

But notice the next part. Paul wants all to firmly know that salvation is from God’s freewill.

Without Human Assistance

And it is without human assistance. Now this passage can be confusing for a casual reading, because Paul says “it is the gift of GOD”. Is grace the gift, is faith the gift, is salvation the gift? The point Paul is making is that no part of the process came from us, neither did it require our assistance. It is applied to and incorporates us though. We know for sure the undeserved favor is a gift. Being rescued from the destruction and death, comes from GOD. But even faith, comes from GOD. Yes, it is up to humans to respond in faith, or without it. But the fact that salvation is through Faith, did not come from us, it came from GOD. Listen to Romans 10:14-17. First, the response of man is solely dependent on the existence of “HIM”!!! Furthermore, faith is a result of hearing Christ’s word. GOD has granted humans the process of faith!!!

Without Human Merit

Not only is this salvation a gift from GOD without human aid, it also can’t be achieved by any human merit. When Paul says works, typically if he’s speaking of the law, he would say “works of the law” (Ro 3:28). However, the idea here is the same as Ro 9:11, Paul speaking of the nature of God’s promises, says before the twins had done anything good or bad, so God’s purpose according to choice would stand, not because of works. Thus, works here describes doing good to deserve salvation as a reward, which includes works of the law. If one deserved it by how good they performed, there would be no need for grace or faith!

The Purpose

No Room for Human Boasting

Paul has laid out God’s process for saving us, but he also lets us know the purpose of saving us the way he did. The first purpose statement is tied to the fact that it is without human merit. What purpose? Nobody can have any room to boast. What does this boasting look like regarding salvation? I want us all to notice the parallels in what the Spirit speaks to God’s children in Christ to what he spoke to Israel.

Our greatness - Deut 7:7-8

Our power and strength - Deut 8:11-17 (Emphasize 14 and 17)

Our righteousness - Deut 9:4-6 (Emphasize 5 and 6)

As God’s New Creation (For what? Purpose and goal of Salvation)

Lastly Paul corrects any thought that we are where we are because of us. That can’t be the case because no human can create something out of nothing. Our saved life in Christ is a result of God’s work. Now, good works is never the basis or cause for salvation. It’s the reverse, our salvation should lead us to good works. Just as GOD went before Israel identify a place for shelter and direct their lives. GOD has prepared good works for us to live in as a result of salvation.

Conclusion: I hope we all can better see that Our salvation status and process is all about GOD. We heard the word, part of the process. And we believed. Belief doesn’t begin with us, it is produced from hearing from and about a person, and that’s Jesus the Son of GOD! What process have you or are you following for your spiritual and eternal safety? Is the salvation you claim lead you to boast about how good you are, as if that gained your salvation? Or do you realize that you are new creation by the mighty hand of GOD, and because we are saved from his favor, which we don’t deserve, that’s what leads me into the good works he prepared for me?