Troublesome TopicOUR SALVATION IS RECEIVED THROUGH FAITH

In the Former Covenant, faith was one of several things that God wanted to teach His people; in the New Covenant, faith takes on a more important role.

Under the Former Covenant, it appears that obedience was the key that opened the door into the realm called God’s people; under the New Covenant, faith in the redemptive work of Jesus is the key that opens the door into the realm called the church.

Faith never stands alone; obedience is always part of the picture, but faith now stands in the first position, at the head of the line.

Ephesians 2:8

Translation

for [it is] by grace [and] through faith [that] you are saved ones,

Go to footnote number

and this is not from yourselves; [it is] the gift of THEOS,

Paraphrase

for it is only because of God’s grace and your faith in Him that you are now considered among the saved ones; this is not something that has come from anything you have done, it is undeniably an undeserved gift from THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS;

Ephesians 2:9

Translation

[it is] not from the accomplishments of effort, so that no one may boast.

Paraphrase

it has not come from your own efforts or accomplishments, that is why no one can boast about earning their salvation.

The pulpit commentary describes Eph 2:8 this way, “On the part of God, salvation is by grace; on the part of man, it is through faith.”

We are saved from the guilt and penalty of our sins when we acknowledge our sinful condition, repent of it, and ask Jesus to forgive us based on His death and resurrection. The role of faith in this transaction is that we need to believe, be fully persuaded, that the redemptive work of Jesus is enough to grant us forgiveness before God, give a clean heart and a fresh start.

Footnotes

1: "saved ones":

In the original language of this verse we see a verb of being (“are”), followed by a participle (“saved”). In Greek a participle was a verbal adjective that could function as an adjective, an adverb, or a noun, but more than anything it was an adjective. Let’s contrast that to English where the phrase “are saved” includes a helping verb (“are”) and the main verb (“saved”). If Greek wanted to do that it would simply use a verb because the idea of person (who is doing the action) and the type of action as well as the timing of that action are all wrapped up in the verb. Acts 16:31 uses a future verb to communicate “you will be saved.” But here in Ephesians 2 a participle is describing the verb “are.” The best way I can describe it is to say that “you are among the saved ones. You are no longer among those who are dead in their sins (2:1), rather you are counted among the saved ones.” Verse 5 of this chapter says it the same way.