Grace & Faith

Introduction

Summarize:

Verses 8 and 9 ask and answer the question, “How are we made alive?”

Grace alone through Faith alone. This work of God is ongoing

Exposition

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.

Author: Paul

Audience: All the Saints

Content: We are eternally secured according to the sovereign will of God.

Context: Sinners deserving of wrath are made into trophies of God’s grace

Comparison: Romans 3:21-31 - Saving faith is the evidence of a just God extending grace toward sinners.

Explanation

Verse 8

For by grace you have been saved through faith.

Grace-A free, undeserved gift

Faith-Belief that is deeper than knowledge, it inspires action

And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

“not of your own doing” modifies FAITH or SAVED? In reality the language says THIS referring to the entire previous phrase: “ For by grace you have been saved through faith “

Grace from God

Saved by God

Faith according to God

1 Corinthians 12:4–7 ESV

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

All are given the Spirit and all the gifts of the Spirit must be present in the regenerate believer.

1 Corinthians 12:8–11 ESV

8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

wisdom and knowledge and faith

miraculous gifts (with spiritual discernment right in the middle)

Faith is worked in us by revelation of the Holy Spirit, but even more than Eph 2 and 1 Cor 12, we have

“Help my unbelief” Mark 9:14-29

Mark 9:19 ESV

19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”

Mark 9:21–24 ESV

21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Galatians 1:15–16 ESV

15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;

GOD GIVES FAITH - PRAY FOR INCREASING FAITH

Verse 9

not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

James 2:21–22 ESV

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

Yes, there are works (as we will see next week), but those works are a confirmation and completion of our faith, not the measure by which we are saved

Just as there was one saving work of God, there are many sanctifying works of God.

so that no one may boast:

Jeremiah 9:23–24 ESV

23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

We keep boasting in our own works

We show off our spirituality on Facebook and are just like the pharisee Jesus condemns.

Our missions have become about sending visible service projects or seeking quick evangelistic decisions and thinking of two years as a long-term instead of going among a people and preaching the whole Word of God and making disciples.

I want to see the believer who quietly acknowledges their sins and thanks God for His forgiveness.

I want to see the believers who believe so surely in the horrors of the eternal wrath of God that they cannot help but prophecy to friends, family, and coworkers.

REPENT of lukewarm belief, PRAY for increasing faith, GO and pour your life into ministry (Make Disciples!)