Ephesians 2:1-10 is one of the principal texts in scripture teaching that salvation is entirely of God—that man contributes absolutely nothing to his salvation except for the sin that made salvation necessary. There are some who misunderstand this passage, incorrectly supposing that the bare mention of "faith" in verse 8 negates everything else the passage says about salvation being wrought by God alone. They mistakenly assume that faith is man's contribution to salvation and that salvation is a cooperative effort between God and man. We shall demonstrate below that faith, like all the other graces of salvation, is God's gift to the unbelieving sinner, and that, prior to receiving regeneration, we were truly "dead in our trespasses and sins"—so dead, in fact, that we were incapable of any sincere love for God or of any desire to come to Christ in genuine saving faith.

Ephesians 2:1-10 teaches the doctrine of divine monergism—that salvation is effected by God alone. The principal contrary view, "synergism" teaches that salvation is a cooperative work between God and man, and that God is powerless to save us unless we do our part. To be specific, synergism teaches that man must, through his own independent volition, choose to cooperate with God's grace and exercise faith in Christ, or else all God's efforts to save him will be in vain.

As we shall see, synergism is wholly contrary to the tenor and express teaching of this important passage of scripture.

Overview.

Ephesians 2:1-10 consists of four statements, separated by the conjunctions "But" (vs. 4) and "For" (vss. 8, 10). Each statement is a complete thought, and can stand on its own.

We can summarize these four statements as follows...

• Statement 1 describes our pre-conversion condition as being "dead in sins" and explains what this means—that we were controlled by our fleshly desires, following Satan's deceptions and the godless traditions and philosophies of the present evil world.
   
• Statement 2 reveals what it was that occurred to effect the great change from our being "dead in sins" to becoming "alive with Christ"—namely, God intervened while we were still dead in sins and he made us alive together with Christ.
   
• Statement 3 describes this change from another angle, assuring us that we were saved solely by God's unmerited grace, through a faith that was not our doing, and that our works did not contribute to our salvation. All is of God in order to ensure that God receives all the credit for our salvation. The passage assures us that no grounds remain for human boasting as if we could take credit for being morally better, wiser or more cooperative than those who are not saved.
   
• Statement 4 concludes by saying that we who are saved are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, and that God planned and prepared all of this in advance of our coming to Christ in faith. Good works are the result of salvation, and not a basis or prerequiste for receiving or retaining salvation.

Of the four statements, only Statement 1 speaks of man's contribution—namely, that we contributed the sin and corruption that made salvation necessary. Statements 2, 3 and 4 each assert, in their unique way, that God alone effected our salvation.

If the mention of "faith" in Statement 3 somehow proved that salvation does not depend wholly on God's activity in saving men, then Statement 3 would contradict Statements 2 and 4, which plainly teach that salvation is entirely of God. Not only that, but it would also contradict Statement 1, which teaches that, prior to regeneration, a person has no capacity to desire the things of God nor to submit their will to God's will.

Statement 1:   We were formerly dead in trespasses and sins.

We are not left to guess what Paul means by "dead" here, for he takes three verses to explain what he means by this.

... in which you formerly walked ... We were dead, yet walking. This is not physical death, where the body is inert and unable to do what it was designed to do, but a spiritual death, where our heart is spiritually unable to do what it was designed to do—namely, to love, honor and obey its blessed Creator.

Please note that the inability here ascribed to us is a moral and spiritual inability. It does not mean that unregenerate men are incapable of faith or obedience, for men put their faith in all manner of gods and philosophies, and in their own capacities and strength. Here, inability refers to a settled disposition of hostility toward the one true and transcendent God and his right to rule over us (Romans 8:7-8; Luke 19:14; Psalm 2:1-3). Man cannot trust or obey the one true God because he will not. God created man with the mental and physical abilities to choose, believe and obey, but since the Fall of Adam, man's desires and will have been in fixed rebellion against God, so he seeks out idolatrous substitutes as the objects of his affections and trust. What fallen man desperately needs is a new heart that loves God and his righteousness.

... according to the course of this world ... We were not only walking, but walking in a particular direction—namely, in the direction of this world—not taking the lead, but following after a world that is in decided rebellion against God.  "The course of this world" refers to the appetites and attitudes of those who ignore or reject God, as well as to its empty philosophies which seek to supplant the Creator with lesser deities that lack the resplendent glory and flawless integrity of our transcendent God, or which seek to deny deity altogether, making the absurd claim that the universe magically created itself out of nothing.

We are commanded "do not be conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2) and "Do not love the world, nor the things in the world." (1 John 2:15). God has chosen us out of the world, and the world hates us for this—"If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." (John 15:19).

... according to the prince of the power of the air ... This refers to Satan, who deceived the mother of mankind into eating the forbidden fruit and then giving it to Adam whereby he ate of it and plunged our race into corruption, sin and condemnation. Satan is a liar, a deceiver and a murderer (John 8:44; Rev 12:9; Gen 3:4-5). As fallen, unregenerate humans, we freely follow in his ways and gladly believe his lies without question. He is the great adversary who accuses the people of God day and night (Rev 12:10). Adam and Eve exhibited the same behavior when Adam tried to evade responsibility for his sin by accusing Eve of giving him the fruit to eat, and accusing God of giving the woman to him (Gen 3:12). Eve likewise accused the serpent (Gen 3:13). Neither of them were willing to take responsibility for their actions, and this is typical behavior for their offspring as well.

Satan is called "the prince of the power of the air" because he is the prince of the demonic world—the invisible spirits who exist around us and exert their influences invisibly by deceiving and tempting humankind, similar to the way the wind invisibly animates trees and leaves and is sometimes capable of wreaking terrible destruction. Even though we cannot see them, they can inflict much harm, as they did to Job's family, possessions and health (Job 1:12-19; 2:5-8).

... the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience ... The term "sons of disobedience" denotes those who are mature in their disobedience—those who are obviously, infamously evil. This includes murderous dictators as Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Castro and Mao and evil Roman emperors such as Nero and Caligula, as well as terrorists, serial killers, rapists, abortionists, members of organized crime and others. They are characterized by their God-defying character and their horrific sins against God and humanity.

Satan—the evil spirit who energizes these markedly evil people—is the very spirit whom every unsaved person is following. An unsaved person may seem like a nice person, but he or she is still following the same sinister being who energizes the cruel dictators, mass murderers and terrorists of this world. The difference is only in degree, not in kind. People who outwardly seem to be "nice people" support aborting innocent babies. "Nice people" often cast their votes for wicked, evil people. They are "nice" in appearance, but evil at heart (Matthew 15:19; Jeremiah 17:9; 1 Samuel 16:7).

Satan works in the hearts of the unsaved, influencing their desires, attitudes and decisions. The adversary of all that is good and right is designated the ruler of "this world" or of "this present evil age" (Galatians 1:4; John 12:31; 16:11). The unsaved enter the world with a self-serving and rebellious heart, and Satan fans the flames of their rebellion and incites them to greater depths of disobedience and obstinacy with each passing day. He sends false teachers and false prophets among them to accuse the saints and to spread false, slanderous rumors against them, and to incite the unbelieving world to band together in their rebellion against God (Psalm 2:1-3). They willlingly join in this rebellion, because of their natural depravity which corrupts their appetites and distorts their view of reality—making evil appear to them to be good, and good appear to be evil (Isa 5:20; Prov 17:15). This allows Satan to disguise himself to them as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14), so that they quite willingly follow him, and are held captive by him to do his will (2 Tim 2:26).

... by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Paul wants us to see that, in ourselves, we were no different from our unsaved neighbors who will spend eternity in hell. By our very nature, we deserved the wrath of God, just as they do. There is nothing in us that would make us more attractive to God, or more worth saving than the others. Prior to conversion, we were not morally better than they. We were not smarter or wiser or more willing to cooperate with God's grace than they were. Paul wants us to see that the difference that now exists between believers and unbelievers is not something in ourselves, but is wholly God's doing. Salvation is not a matter of God selecting from mankind those who are most worthy to be saved, or most loving, or most willing. Prior to conversion, we were every bit as deserving of God's wrath as anyone else.

Statement 2:   God intervened and made us alive with Christ when we were still dead in our sins.

Verse 4 begins abruptly with the magnificent words "But God ...". Verses 1-3 describe us as being dead in our sins, following Satan and the world, and having been by nature children of wrath, just like the rest of mankind. But, suddenly, something happens—God intervenes.

Paul: the Example of Conversion.

Paul speaks from personal experience, as his conversion on the road to Damascus is a perfect example of this. He was dead in sins, "breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord" (Acts 9:1) and went to the high priest and obtained from him letters to be given to the synagogues at Damascus, instructing them to allow Saul (which was the name Paul used at that time), to apprehend anyone who claimed to follow Jesus, that he might bind them and bring them to Jerusalem for trial (Acts 9:1-2). But Jesus met him on the road in a blinding light, and changed his heart from an enemy of Christ to a follower of Christ (Acts 9:3-8). Saul was not seeking Jesus. On the contrary, he was seeking to persecute anyone who followed Jesus. Jesus confronted him and changed him. Saul walked away from this encounter a changed man. He became a follower of Jesus—no different from those whom he had formerly sought to persecute and destroy.

In an instant of time, Saul was changed from being a hater of Christ to being a devoted follower of Christ who fearlessly preached Christ wherever he went and was willing to die for Christ. This is what Paul means when he says "But God ..., even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together with Christ." Paul was speaking from his own experience, and by the infallible inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The transformation he describes is true of every person who is saved by Jesus Christ—God sovereignly intervenes to make us spiritually alive while we are still dead in sins and enemies of God. We may not have the boldness of Paul (each Christian has his own gifts from God), but the change from death in sin to life in Christ is nevertheless real, profound and lasting.

Paul affirms that we were still "dead in sins" when God intervened and made us "alive with Christ". Paul did not have to first "wake up" or become "partially regenerated" before his rebirth. One is either dead or alive—there is no middle ground. God doesn't wait for us to come to Christ before he makes us alive, because, prior to becoming alive, we are truly dead in our sins and have no genuine desire for God or righteousness.

In 1 Timothy 1:16, Paul tells us that his own conversion experience was a pattern and example of every other person who comes to Christ. Salvation comes to a spiritually dead, God-rejecting sinner when God miraculously intervenes in his heart and life, making him alive together with Christ and seats him in the heavenly places in Christ.

1 Timothy 1:16 - But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Ephesians 2:4-6 - But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Note that Paul was no better or more deserving than others of his day. There were many others to whom Jesus could have appeared in power and glory, but he appeared only to Saul as he was engaged in his nefarious task of hunting down the people of God. This should make it clear to us that God does not choose the morally best or wisest of people for salvation, but chooses sinners who fully deserve his wrath. It underscores the fact that God is free to save whomever he pleases, and that he does not see fit to do this for everyone without exception.

Union with Christ.

Ephesians 2:5-6 - even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Paul emphasizes, in this passage, our union with Christ as the basis of salvation. We were made alive with Christ, we were raised up with Christ and we were seated with Christ in the heavenly places. And then, as if that were not enough, he finishes with the words "in Christ Jesus". Perhaps "by means of Christ Jesus" is more the intended idea—"Christ Jesus" here is in the dative case, which often indicates instrumentality, and certainly, it is by means of Christ's redeeming work that we are saved.

But we should not suppose that our union with Christ begins with, or is accomplished by faith. Our union with Christ preceded our conversion. Here is a list of some of the many ways in which we are said in scripture to be united to Christ ...

There are at least 3 important aspects to our union with Christ ...

1. Our union with Christ was covenantally established by God in eternity past when we were chosen in Christ and God purposed to redeem for himself a people by the sacrifice of Christ and predestined them to become conformed to Christ's image. To accomplish this end, God purposed to call, justify and glorify each of those whom he had chosen and predestined ...

   Romans 8:29-30 – For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

2. This redemptive purpose was objectively realized when our Savior took on human flesh and died for us on the cross, bearing our sins. At that point in time, it was not simply Christ who was crucified, but he acted as our substitute so that, judicially, we were crucified with him. By virtue of his union with us, it was our guilt that was charged to his account. Just as Adam was the covenant head of the human race who brought the entire race into condemnation through his one trespass, so also Christ is the covenant head of those who are redeemed. By his one act of sacrificial obedience to the Father's will, he saved all his redeemed people from the eternal wrath of God.

   Romans 5:19 – For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

3. This union with Christ is subjectively realized in time when God brings us to Christ and gives us a new heart, creating faith in us. It is only then that we become aware of our union with Christ, and it is through faith that the various graces of redemption are communicated to us as we begin to grow in likeness to our glorious Redeemer who died and rose for us, and who daily makes intercession for us.¹

God's Saving Love.

Finally, we should note that God made us alive because he is "rich in mercy" and "because of the great love with which he loved us". If God loved everyone in this manner, then he would make everyone alive together with Christ and everyone would be saved. But it is not true that everyone will be saved—"... the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many" (Matthew 7:13) and "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, ..." (Matthew 7:21). and "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41).

This teaches us that God's love is distinguishing, just as we are told elsewhere. He loved Jacob and hated Esau (Malachi 1:2-3; Romans 9:13). Jesus loved his own who were in the world (John 13:1), but he hates all evildoers (Psalm 5:5; 11:5). God bestowed his great love on certain ones and made them his children (1 John 3:1), but many are children of the devil instead (John 8:44; 1 John 3:10). God says "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion," and so Paul concludes "... it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy" (Romans 9:15-16).

All of us have sinned and are worthy of eternal hell (Romans 3:23; 10-19; Psalm 14:1-3; 53:1-3; 1 Kings 8:46), and God would have been entirely just to condemn us all to hell for our sins and unbelief. However, God was pleased to show mercy to some of Adam's hell-deserving offspring and so he joined them to Christ, imputing their sins to him that he might endure their punishment on the cross (Romans 5:8; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 2:24). God also imputed Christ's perfect righteousness to them, that they might forever stand blameless in his sight and have eternal life. God did not owe this grace to anyone, for no one deserved it. May God be forever praised that he did display this mercy and grace to those whom he had, from eternity, chosen to receive it (Romans 11:5, 7; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).

Again, note that Ephesians 2:4-7 is a complete statement that is able to stand by itself. It says plainly that God intervened when we were dead in our sins and made us alive together with Christ. The transition from spiritual death to spiritual life and glorification in Christ is here ascribed to God alone. Nothing whatever is said about man choosing or contributing faith nor does it say that he needed to cooperate with God's grace in order to receive life. All is of God—to him alone be the glory!

Statement 3:   Salvation is by God's grace, which leaves no place for human boasting.

Statement 3 tells us that salvation is by grace, through faith, apart from works. If the mention of "faith" in Part 3 somehow proved that we contribute to our salvation, then it would contradict the statements in Parts 2 and 4. But this contradiction arises solely from the arbitrary assumption that faith is our contribution. Once we see that faith is God's gift—that he produces faith in us through the new heart we receive at regeneration—then all three parts agree in teaching the same truth—namely, that salvation is brought about by God alone.

The Structure of Ephesians 2:8-9.

Ephesians 2:8-9 is organized using a structure called "inverted parallelism" or "chiastic structure"². This literary device appears often in scripture, and functions like a set of nested parentheses ...

Notice the correspondence between each of the three phrases (A,B,C) in the first half and its corresponding phrase (A',B',C') in the second half.

• "By grace" explains why "no one may boast"
• "through faith" hence "not a result of works"
• "not of yourselves" because "it is the gift of God"

Note that each indented block describes and qualifies the central idea in the previous block. Hence, the words in parts B-B' "through faith ... not as a result of works" refer back to "saved" in part A, describing the manner of our salvation. In the same way, the words in parts C-C' "and that not of yourselves ... it is the gift of God" refer back to "faith", which is the subject of part B.

It is clear that the words "that" and "gift" cannot be speaking of salvation, for in that case, the passage would say "By grace you have been saved and that not of yourselves ...;" which is needlessly redundant. "By grace" already means "not of yourselves", so the words "and that not of yourselves" would add no new information. On the other hand, to declare that "faith" is "not of yourselves" clarifies that even faith (something we do), does not ultimately come from us, but it too is a gift from God, so that salvation is truly and entirely "by grace", and therefore leaves no ground for boasting.

"... so that no one may boast" – What was it that made you to differ from your unsaved neighbor who died in unbelief? Was it your willingness to cooperate with divine grace? Was it your good sense to believe in Christ? If so, you can boast of your willingness and good sense. But God intends to remove any such grounds for boasting by telling us that even our faith is not of ourselves—it is given by God.

The Use of Gender in Ephesians 2:8-9.

A common criticism of the claim that "faith" is the "gift" in Ephesians 2:8 concerns the gender of the words used. In New Testament Greek, nouns and pronouns have an attribute called "gender" (masculine, feminine or neuter), which is expressed by the word ending and does not necessarily match the actual gender of thing signified. There are those who claim that the gender of a relative pronoun must match the gender of the noun to which it refers, and herein lies the problem.

In Ephesians 2:8, "faith" is a feminine noun whereas "that" and "the gift" are neuter, which would seem to disqualify "faith" from being the antecedent of "that" or "the gift". However, there is nothing in the passage that matches the neuter gender of "that" and "the gift". "Grace" is a feminine noun and "saved" is a masculine participle. The gender of "that" and "the gift" therefore does not match the gender of any of the possible antecedents.

How is this possible? In New Testament Greek, the grammatical gender of a noun does not necessarily match the actual gender (the natural gender) of the thing or person to which it refers. For example, in this passage, the words "grace" and "faith" are feminine nouns, even though "grace" and "faith" are neuter concepts. Thus, the grammatical gender of these words is feminine, but their natural gender is neuter.

The solution to the dilemma is this: A pronoun sometimes agrees with the natural gender of a noun, rather than its grammatical gender.

Consider, for example,

Matthew 28:19 – Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations (neuter), baptizing them (masculine) into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

Here, Jesus instructs his disciples to baptize "them" (masculine) = "nations" (neuter), where the masculine is used because "nations" are comprised of people and the masculine gender is the appropriate gender to use of people. In Matthew 28:19, the gender of the pronoun does not match the grammatical gender of its antecedent, but it does match the natural gender, which is allowed in Koine Greek.

This usage is acknowledged by the major textbooks of Biblical Greek grammar. Daniel Wallace cites an example in Philemon 10, where he says "Although teknon is neuter, the RP is masculine due to natural gender."³

Philemon 10 - I appeal to you for my child (neuter), whom (masculine) I have begotten in my imprisonment, Onesimus,

Dana and Mantey⁴ cite yet another example...

Acts 15:17 - that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles (neuter) who (masculine) are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things

William Mounce goes so far as to say "In Greek, pronouns follow natural gender but nouns for the most part do not."⁵ In other words, according to Mounce, we should not expect a pronoun to agree with the grammatical gender of its antecedent noun, but with the natural gender instead.

So the fact that the grammatical genders do not match in Ephesians 2:8 is no proof that "the gift" is not speaking of "faith". "Faith" is the nearest noun and therefore is the most likely candidate to be the antecedent of "that"="the gift". Faith itself (not the word, but the concept) is neuter, matching the gender of "that" and "the gift".

Some suggest the neuter "that" is speaking of the entire phrase "by grace you are saved through faith", which (they argue) would not have a specific gender, and therefore the neuter would be appropriate. Even if this were the correct explanation, the passage affirms that faith is part of the package of salvation, and since the entire package is the gift of God, then faith, being a part of that package, is itself a gift.

However, I would question the claim that the phrase "by grace you are saved through faith" does not have a grammatical gender. The grammatical gender of a phrase is the gender of the underlying participle. Therefore, even in this case, the neuter gender of the pronoun "that" does not match the masculine gender of the participle "saved", and so we are still left with having to match the natural gender of the participle "saved", rather than its grammatical gender.

But if it is valid to match the neuter pronoun to the masculine participle "saved", then it is equally valid to match the neuter pronoun to the feminine noun "faith". Indeed, "faith" is the more likely referent, since it appears immediately preceding the pronoun "that" in the sentence, and, moreover, as we observed earlier, the chiastic structure of the sentence supports the thesis that "faith" is the intended antecedent.

Many Passages teach that Faith is Given by God.

Ephesians 2:8-9 does not stand alone in teaching that faith is God's gift. There are many other passages that teach that faith and repentance are given by God, or that man must be united with Christ before he is able to believe in him.

Statement 4: We are God's workmanship.

Statement 4 summarizes the teaching of the preceding verses by saying …

Ephesians 2:10 – ... we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Scriptural Figures of Salvation.

It is truly remarkable how scripture appeals to various figures to show that salvation is entirely God's work ...

1. Workmanship: We are God's workmanship (Eph 2:10a). Compare this with the Potter-clay analogy of Romans 9:20-23.
2. Creation: God created us in Christ Jesus for good works (Eph 2:10b). Compare this with 2 Corinthians 4:6 and 5:17.
3. Resurrection: God raised us from death in sin to life in Christ (Eph 2:4-5)
4. New birth: We must be born again (John 3:3,7; 1 Peter 1:23)
5. Emancipation: We were enslaved to sin and have become slaves of God instead (Romans 6:16-22; John 8:34-36).

What is noteworthy about all these figures is that the work is done solely by God. We contribute nothing at all.

1. A lump of clay does nothing to assist the potter nor to determine the outcome of his work.
2. The universe did not somehow cooperate to allow God to create it. It didn't even exist until God spoke it into existence.
3. Dead men are not able to raise themselves to life, nor even to assist in the effort.
4. A baby cannot determine whether or when it will be born.
5. Slaves do not get to choose their masters. Masters do the choosing.

In each case, we are compared to things that have absolutely no power or capacity within themselves to contribute to the act under discussion. God must do it all.

So it is with salvation. We are God's creation. We are God's workmanship. We were dead, and he must raise us to life. God is the divine Father who brings about the birth of a new believer—the infant has no choice whether to be born. Slaves are in bondage to their masters, and cannot choose who their master will be. Sin was our former master, but Christ has destroyed sin's power over us that God might take ownership of us instead.

This is why Paul says, in Romans 9:16, "So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy." The work of salvation is solely God's work. It is divinely monergistic. This is what Paul means when he says "We are God's workmanship" (Eph 2:10). He does not say that salvation is a cooperative effort between man and God, where each contributes something. We are not partly God's workmanship, and partly our own. Paul gives all the credit to God for the simple reason that God did it all. What sort of believer would try to claim some credit for himself, rather than ascribing to God all the praise for his salvation?

Paul does not stop there, but declares that we have been created in Christ Jesus unto good works. This act of creation produces in us a new heart that did not exist before—a new heart devoted to pleasing God and to doing good works. Again, all the credit and glory belongs to God alone for giving us a new heart and for the good works that flow from it.

The Relation of Good Works to Salvation.

Finally, Paul says that God "prepared beforehand" that we should do good works. This speaks of his purpose of predestination, where, as he says in Romans 8:29, God "... predestined [us] to be conformed to the image of his Son ...." The good works that believers do were predestined by God from eternity past. God's eternal purpose was to purify for himself a people "... zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14).

Paul tells us that we are saved by grace through faith unto good works. While we are not saved by our works (Ephesians 2:9), we are nevertheless saved unto good works. Works are the fruit, not the root of our salvation. God does not save people because they do good works, but saves them in order that he might produce good works in and through them by the Holy Spirit who indwells them. God will not allow anyone to boast of contributing anything to their salvation (Ephesians 2:9), whether it be their works, their faith or their willingness to believe. Works therefore cannot be the basis for receiving salvation, for then they would be a valid cause for us to boast. Instead, good works are the fruit of salvation—God produces good works in our lives as a result of the salvation he has brought about. This way, he receives all the glory for our salvation and for the good works that proceed from the new heart he has given us.

This does not mean, of course, that believers are sinless and perfect in themselves this side of glory. Concerning our standing, we are counted perfectly righteous in Christ, but we are not sinless in our present earthly state. This is the difference between ...

justification – an act that takes place at conversion, whereby we are fully forgiven and receive Christ's unblemished righteousness judicially imputed to our account, so that we have been immutably delivered from God's wrath forever.

sanctification – a daily process of growing personally into greater conformity with Christ's character through the new heart God has given us and by the purifying power of the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

glorification – on the last day, all God's people will be changed into Christ's perfect likeness and our bodies will be transformed into perfect bodies that will never suffer, deteriorate or die.

God's people are not presently sinless, but we do "... hunger and thirst after righteousness ..." (Matthew 5:6) and long for the day when we will be filled. Sin is sadly still a reality in the believer's life. David sinned horribly against God when he committed adultery and murder (2 Samuel 12:9) and Peter sinned when he denied the Lord with cursing and oaths (Matthew 26:74; Mark 14:71). Yet both were genuine believers. John tells us that, if we claim to have no sin, we deceive ourselves and make God out to be a liar (1 John 1:8-10). Paul describes our awful struggle with sin in Romans 7:9-25 and Galatians 5:17. This struggle will not end until we reach glory.

Ephesians 2:10 does serve as a warning, however, for those who call themselves Christians but who have no intention of following God's moral law. Anyone who has no love for righteousness is not a true believer in Christ, but a self-deceived hypocrite. Paul is not teaching antinomianism—that once saved, we can flagrantly ignore God's righteous commands (Romans 6:1)— but instead is teaching that genuine faith proceeds from a changed heart that loves God and seeks to live in a manner pleasing to him. If we have no desire to live a God-honoring life, then we have no right to claim that we have come to Christ in genuine faith. James sums this up well when he says "Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18).

"... that we should walk in them." Paul began this passage saying that we used to walk in trespasses and sin (vs. 1). Now, he says that God has prepared good works that we should walk in them instead. The word "walk" denotes an ongoing daily activity—a way of living. Prior to conversion, we walked in sin. After God saves us, he intends for us to walk in the good works for which he has re-created us in Christ Jesus and which he prepared beforehand for us to do. May God be praised that he provides us with the desire and strength, through Christ, to walk in good works!

Conclusion.

Notice that this 4^th statement, like each of the statements preceding it, gives all credit to God for our salvation. The mention of "faith" in verse 8 is not a loophole that allows us to wiggle out of the clear statements that we are God's workmanship, that he made us alive when we were dead in our sins, that salvation is by grace and that we have no grounds to boast of our salvation. Rather, our faith is a gift from God that proves we belong to Christ and that God has chosen us unto salvation. As Jesus said ...

John 10:27-28 – "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand."

We are sheep first, and the reason we follow Christ is because we are sheep. Then Christ gives us eternal life, promising that we will never perish and cannot be taken out of his omnipotent hand.

May God be forever praised for setting his distinguishing love on us and choosing, redeeming, calling, justifying and glorifying us. To God alone be the glory!

Footnotes.