Bible Study Practically speaking, what does this passage mean to you?

[Doug Brents]

Eph 2:8-9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

Please don't just quote other passages. What does this passage mean to you in your own words?

Thank you.

 

[Tessa]

To me it just means that God has offered us forgiveness and eternal life as a free gift. We have a choice of believing that and accepting it ot not. Through faith to me is believing in that gift because Jesus led a sinless life and died fir us and the forgiveness of our sins. We must believe that to be saved.
Works fo not save anyone but without works our faith is dead. It would be as if we did not believe in the teachings of Christ.

 

[Truthfrees]

Eph 2:8-9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

Please don't just quote other passages. What does this passage mean to you in your own words?

Thank you.

because of God's love for you all who believe what God says receive this unmerited undeserved love and blessing - and no one can take any credit for it because from start to finish it is all God and His expression of love for you

 

[Fastfredy0]

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this [referring to salvation through faith] is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works (not founded upon anything in the believer himself), 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.

“And this is not your own doing.” The word “this” must have an antecedent, which would normally be the closest preceding noun. In this case, “this” would refer back to “faith.” Paul is not saying that grace is not our own doing. That would be redundant, because if it were our own doing, it would not be gracious at all. Rather, he says that faith is not our own doing. That does not mean that faith is not found in us; it is found in us. It does not mean that it is someone else’s faith by which we are justified. It is, properly speaking, our faith, for we are the ones who have it, the ones who are exercising it. But it is not our own doing, meaning that we are not the origin of it. It is not something that we have generated by our own power, nor does it originate in our flesh. R.C. Sproul Truths We Confess

Furthermore, if synergism is embraced, then there is the very real but subtle danger that men could boast that they made use of God's grace or had more wisdom than the man who rejected Christ. They could boast that they are different for, unlike others, they responded to Christ. The autonomous natural man would, then, ultimately determine His own salvation, not God. Since a work is a purpose achieved by physical or mental exertion. To believe is a difficult task; the Bible says it is foolishness to the unsaved and no one seeks God. Finally, the context of the verse (2:1-10) forbids the idea that man has any positive role in his own salvation. The verses include expressions like, "by grace you have been saved," "this not from yourselves," "it is the gift of God," "not by works," "so that no one can boast," "we are God's work," "created in Christ Jesus to do good works," "which God prepared in advance for us to do."

The above is not my words, but my sentiments expressed succinctly. I the my/simplest words: The gift of 'Faith' comes from God who is the cause. The source of 'faith' in not the individual. The effect coming from cause (God) is that Christians exercise/manifest the gift of 'faith' given them. In other words, regeneration (born again) logically precedes conversion (faith + repentance).

 

[jerry63935]

Eph 2:8-9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

Please don't just quote other passages. What does this passage mean to you in your own words?

Thank you.

Grace is the divine favor grace can be said God riches at Christ expense i accept the fact that by his grace i am saved. there is a testimony forever written in my heart . He paid a debt he could not pay i owed a debt i could not pay .. so to me grace is pretty amazing . its better experience than described...

 

[Doug Brents]

Interesting comments from all.

What I hear some of you saying is that there is no physical action necessary for man to receive salvation. Am I hearing that correctly from those of you who have already posted?

 

[Fastfredy0]

What I hear some of you saying is that there is no physical action necessary for man to receive salvation. Am I hearing that correctly from those of you who have already posted?

Well, faith cometh by hearing (Romans 10:17) ... and hearing is a physical action.

 

[Tessa]

Interesting comments from all.

What I hear some of you saying is that there is no physical action necessary for man to receive salvation. Am I hearing that correctly from those of you who have already posted?

We are saved by Grace through faith. If we don't act on that faith our faith is dead, equals no faith.

 

[Hopeful]

Eph 2:8-9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

Please don't just quote other passages. What does this passage mean to you in your own words?

Thank you.

To me it means..."If you can believe it, salvation is a free gift from God that is not dependent on the works of the Law".

 

[Doug Brents]

To me it means..."If you can believe it, salvation is a free gift from God that is not dependent on the works of the Law".

Is salvation a freely given gift? Or,
Is salvation a gift free to receive?

In other words: are there any conditions placed upon the reception of salvation?

 

[Doug Brents]

Well, faith cometh by hearing (Romans 10:17) ... and hearing is a physical action.

Yes, it is. Are there any other physical actions that are mandated in Scripture that lead to salvation?

 

[Doug Brents]

We are saved by Grace through faith. If we don't act on that faith our faith is dead, equals no faith.

Absolutely. And a dead (or non-existent) faith cannot save anyone. It is like a crushed pipe. It cannot conduct water to the destination. Just so, a dead faith cannot conduct grace to a dead soul.

So, as I asked Fastfredy0, what other physical actions are mandated in Scripture as leading to the reception of salvation?

 

[Fastfredy0]

Yes, it is. Are there any other physical actions that are mandated in Scripture that lead to salvation?

No, "hearing the word" is the only physical action I can think of that is required for salvation. For we are not saved by works (dictionary definition or works: a physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result) least any should boast.
... and so we are called spiritually dead, and we all know the dead cannot bring themselves back to life (unless you are God)

Now, if you haven't reached the age of accountability, you don't even have to hear the word to be saved according to a majority of theologians.

 

[Tessa]

Pn pjtsicak actions. Revelation tells us that Jesus says to the unsaved that they did not feed Him when they saw Him hungry, they did not clothe Him when they saw Him naked, neither did they visit Him when in prison or when sick and they did not take Him in when they saw Him homeless. If they did not do these things to any of God's children that was how they were treating God. They were not saved because they did not truly love their neighbour, which is one of the Lord's commandments.

 

[Doug Brents]

No, "hearing the word" is the only physical action I can think of that is required for salvation. For we are not saved by works (dictionary definition or works: a physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result) least any should boast.
... and so we are called spiritually dead, and we all know the dead cannot bring themselves back to life (unless you are God)

Now, if you haven't reached the age of accountability, you don't even have to hear the word to be saved according to a majority of theologians.

Question for you then, Rom 10:9-11 says that confession of Jesus' name is made with the mouth and leads to salvation. How is that not a physical action that is required for salvation to be received?

 

[Fastfredy0]

Question for you then, Rom 10:9-11 says that confession of Jesus' name is made with the mouth and leads to salvation. How is that not a physical action that is required for salvation to be received?

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ESV
Re: How is that not a physical action that is required for salvation to be received?

It is not "physical action that is required for salvation to be received" IMO because "confessing with the mouth" and "believing in your heart" are the effects of salvation and not the cause. The verse could be construed as "something we must do" or "something that we must manifest" if we are to be saved.
Similarly from, James 1:20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless ... from this we might conclude that "works" is required for salvation.

So, IMO, one applies the Hermeneutic rule: Interpret the implicit by the explicit; the unclear by the clear. Example: John 3:16b “whomsoever believes (every believer) shall inherit eternal life”; does this mean the anyone can believe or does it mean that eternal life is a result of belief. You must find explicit verses to judge the correct meaning.

So what verses explicitly show "confessing with mouth" and "believing" are a 'cause for' or an 'effect of' salvation. IMO the following do:

Ephesians 2:8-9 says faith comes from God and not ourselves and thus our manifesting faith is an effect of salvation (I exegeted it above; rather, someone helped me ... I am smart enough to do it on my own)

The following verses show we are not saved by works and therefore "confessing with the mouth" cannot lead to salvation. (Dictionary definition of "works": physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result). John 6:29 Jesus answered, “This is the work of God: that you believe [adhere to, trust in, rely on, and have faith] in the One whom He has sent.” Clearly this verse defines “faith” as a work. Thus faith must originate from God since God’s grace does not include man works (Galatians 5:2). 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 3:5, 1 Corinthians 12:3b And no one can [really] say, Jesus is [my] Lord, except by and under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit. (thus "confession" that Jesus is Lord" is caused by God and we saying it is an manifestation (effect) of salvation.

I could expound, but I think you know where I am coming from.

What is your agenda behind your questions?

 

[Hopeful]

Is salvation a freely given gift? Or,
Is salvation a gift free to receive?

Yes to both questions.
It is free, and free to take.
It isn't forced on anyone.

In other words: are there any conditions placed upon the reception of salvation?

Absolutely.
Hearing, belief, faith, repentance from sin, and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins.
And don't forget about enduring till the end.

 

[JLB]

Eph 2:8-9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

Please don't just quote other passages. What does this passage mean to you in your own words?

Thank you.

It means we are regenerated, and have a new born again nature, recreated in the image and likeness of God’s son, in which we now are able to live in harmony with His Spirit.




JLB

 

[Doug Brents]

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ESV
Re: How is that not a physical action that is required for salvation to be received?

It is not "physical action that is required for salvation to be received" IMO because "confessing with the mouth" and "believing in your heart" are the effects of salvation and not the cause. The verse could be construed as "something we must do" or "something that we must manifest" if we are to be saved.
Similarly from, James 1:20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless ... from this we might conclude that "works" is required for salvation.

So, IMO, one applies the Hermeneutic rule: Interpret the implicit by the explicit; the unclear by the clear. Example: John 3:16b “whomsoever believes (every believer) shall inherit eternal life”; does this mean the anyone can believe or does it mean that eternal life is a result of belief. You must find explicit verses to judge the correct meaning.

So what verses explicitly show "confessing with mouth" and "believing" are a 'cause for' or an 'effect of' salvation. IMO the following do:

Ephesians 2:8-9 says faith comes from God and not ourselves and thus our manifesting faith is an effect of salvation (I exegeted it above; rather, someone helped me ... I am smart enough to do it on my own)

The following verses show we are not saved by works and therefore "confessing with the mouth" cannot lead to salvation. (Dictionary definition of "works": physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result). John 6:29 Jesus answered, “This is the work of God: that you believe [adhere to, trust in, rely on, and have faith] in the One whom He has sent.” Clearly this verse defines “faith” as a work. Thus faith must originate from God since God’s grace does not include man works (Galatians 5:2). 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 3:5, 1 Corinthians 12:3b And no one can [really] say, Jesus is [my] Lord, except by and under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit. (thus "confession" that Jesus is Lord" is caused by God and we saying it is an manifestation (effect) of salvation.

I could expound, but I think you know where I am coming from.

What is your agenda behind your questions?

Let's read what the verse says, not what you want it to say based on your preconception.

Rom 10:9-10 - "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and [if you] believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, [then] you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

This is a conditional statement. IF you do this, THEN I will do that, God says. Now, IF you don't do this, then I am not bound to do that, is also inferred.

So IF you confess AND IF you believe THEN you will be saved. If you do not believe, or if you do not confess, then you will not be saved.
Because, verse 10 says, your belief leads to righteousness, and your confession leads to salvation.

This passage is not about the results of salvation. It is a mandate for (some of) the things that lead to salvation.

James 2 does tell us that works are required to make faith alive (James 2:26), and living faith is the only faith that is capable of being the conduit through which saving grace can be applied to an individual (Eph 2:8-9).

Eph 2:8-9 does not say that faith is the gift of God. Grace is the gift of God that is delivered through our faith.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
The question here is what does the "that" that I highlighted above refer back to? It must refer back to one of two things, "grace" or "saved". It cannot refer back to faith, because faith is not the subject of the preceding phrase. Faith is the object of the preposition "through", which modifies the understanding of "grace".
Thus "by grace you have been saved" and you received that grace "through faith, and that" grace is "not of yourselves; it" (grace) "is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

 

[Doug Brents]

Yes to both questions.
It is free, and free to take.
It isn't forced on anyone.

Absolutely.
Hearing, belief, faith, repentance from sin, and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins.
And don't forget about enduring till the end.

No, both are not correct.

Grace was freely given by God.
But it is not free from conditions placed by God for its reception.

The conditions are in the second half of your response.
1. Hear
2. Believe
3. Repent of sins
4. Confess the name of Jesus
5. Baptized in Jesus name

And you are correct that we must endure to the end.