Ephesians 2:8–10
In the religious world today, there are many doctrinal errors taught as truth. Today we’re going to look at one of those things, and that is what Grace is and what it isn’t.
Grace is God’s unearned provision of salvation through Jesus Christ. It does not mean that one is automatically saved, nor does it excuse disobedience. It is so easy to be lulled into a false sense of believing we are good as far as salvation because grace has us covered. We begin to think we can sin and still we are saved because, we reason, God provides salvation by grace. But that is where so many in the religious world, even in the church of Christ, believe we are saved by grace alone. When the truth is man will receive His gift of grace only provided that the conditions revealed in the gospel are met.
Introduction
The word grace is one of the most beautiful words in the Bible. We sing about grace. We pray and live with hope because of it. Without the grace of God, not one of us could be saved.
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote:
“8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…”
Ephesians 2:8
Now the original word used for ‘grace’ there in the Greek is Charis (KHAH-riss) meaning a freely given gift, and Paul uses it here to speak specifically of God’s undeserved yet generous favor.
But the problem is, grace is also one of the most misunderstood subjects in religion.
Some people think grace means that God just overlooks sin without requiring of us to repent of our sins. Some think salvation cannot be earned, so they reason that obedience has nothing to do with salvation. Others will say that we are saved by “grace alone,” meaning there are no conditions that man must meet.
But that’s not what the Bible teaches is it?
We know that the Bible teaches us that we are saved by grace. But God’s Word also puts conditions on that grace, teaching us that we must believe, repent, confess Christ, be baptized, and remain faithful.
Those truths do not contradict one another. They fit together perfectly when we understand what grace is—and what it is not.
I. Exactly what is grace?
We commonly define “Grace” as being “unmerited favor.” That’s a good beginning, but Biblical grace is so much more than just a favorable feeling in the mind of God.
A better explanation would be that grace is God acting on behalf of our salvation when we could not save ourselves.
Paul wrote:
“8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8
We did not deserve the sacrifice Jesus, the son of Jehovah God, made on the cross. We also did not persuade God to love us, and we most certainly did not create the plan of salvation.
God took the initiative to provide that plan for us.
It was because of sin that humanity was lost, and we became separated from God:
“23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23
Sin came into the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience and that created a debt which none of us could ever contrive a means to repay. There is no number of good deeds that could erase the sins which we have already committed. All of mankind needed something that we could never provide for ourselves—and that something is a perfect sacrifice.
A sacrifice which Jehovah provided to us through His Son.
“24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Romans 3:24
Notice that grace did not pretend sin was harmless. Grace provided the payment for sin. Grace is free to us, but it was costly to God. Our salvation, as a lost people, cost the blood of Jesus Christ.
Peter wrote:
“18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
1 Peter 1:18–19
So, you see, grace is not God ignoring justice. At the cross, God’s mercy and His justice met. Christ suffered the penalty that our sins deserved so that Jehovah’s forgiveness could be offered to us.
II. Grace means we cannot earn salvation
Going back to our text we can see this. Ephesians 2:8–9 declares:
“8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
That means there is no amount of works we can do to earn salvation or grace.
In my last lesson we talked about the woman in Mark 5 who sought out Jesus and she reached out to touch the garment he was wearing. She was not cured just because of her faith. She had to get up and do something. She had to act. And here in Ephesians it is telling us the same thing about grace. We are saved by grace through our faith and that faith must include works. Without works, without us taking action and being active with our faith, then there is no grace to be given nor had. And by the same token we cannot rely on works alone to attain grace and salvation. We have to present God with the total package, if you will.
Salvation is a gift. It is not a wage. A wage is something owed because of work performed. A gift is something provided by the generosity of another.
Paul made that distinction in Romans 4:4:
“4 Now to the one who works, the wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.”
Romans 4:4
If we could live so perfectly that God owed us salvation, then salvation would not be by grace. But none of us has lived that way, nor will anyone ever be able to live that perfectly. Even after we become Christians, we do not place God in our debt. Jesus said:
“10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
Luke 17:10
Our obedience does not purchase salvation. Baptism does not place God in our debt. Repentance does not repay the price of our sins. Faithful Christian living does not make the cross unnecessary.
Everything depends upon what Jesus accomplished.
However, the fact that we cannot earn salvation does not mean that God has placed no conditions upon receiving it.
A gift can be freely offered and still require a response.
If someone offers a drowning man a life preserver, the drowning man does not earn his rescue by reaching for it. But he must still take hold of it.
That reminds me of the old joke about a torrential rainstorm that flooded a valley and there was a man whose house was flooded. The water had risen to the roofline, and he prays for God to save him. Along comes a man in a canoe who offers him a ride to safety. The man on the roof says no, God is going to save me. Later a man in a boat comes along and offers him a ride and again he refuses saying God is going to save me. Then a helicopter comes and lets down a rope ladder, but he waves it off yelling God is going to save me. Eventually his house is swept away and he dies. When he gets to heaven, he meets Jesus and he tells him I prayed and believed God would save me, but he didn’t. Jesus answered well I sent you a canoe, a boat and a helicopter...
When Jehovah offers us His grace, it is a gift and receiving a gift is not the same as earning it.
III. What grace is not
GRACE IS NOT permission to continue in sin
Paul anticipated that very misunderstanding, and that’s why he tells us in Romans 6:1-2
“1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”
Romans 6:1–2
Grace doesn’t give us permission to live how we please. Grace delivers us from sin so that we can live for God.
Jude warned us about people who would turn grace into sin toward the end of Jude verse 4:
“4 …They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality...”
Jude 1:4
You see, whenever grace is used to excuse immorality, or rebellion, or indifference toward God’s commands, grace is being misused.
Grace doesn’t say, “Sin no longer matters.” Grace says, sin mattered so much, Jesus had to die to save us from it.
“8b …while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8b
GRACE IS NOT automatic salvation
“11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all men.”
Titus 2:11
“Offers” that word right there that many translations use is not in the original Greek text. A literal translation is
“11 ‘For the grace of God appeared, saving / bringing salvation to all people.’”
Titus 2:11 (Greek translation)
God’s grace has been extended to all humanity, but just like the man on the roof didn’t take the salvation offered to him, grace and salvation will not be our own if we do not act upon that gift. Jesus said:
“13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”
Matthew 7:13
If grace automatically saved everyone, no one would be lost. But the Bible plainly teaches that many will be lost.
This means grace can be resisted and rejected.
Stephen told his audience:
“51b You always resist the Holy Spirit!”
Acts 7:51
Jesus grieved and mourned over the lost people of Jerusalem:
“37 …how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing!”
Matthew 23:37
God was willing to give them grace, to save them, but they were unwilling to come to Him, under His terms. Grace is available to everyone, but it only benefits those who receive God’s offer according to His will.
GRACE IS NOT salvation without obedience
Jesus asked:
“46 Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
Luke 6:46
And He also said:
“21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 7:21
The Hebrew writer described Jesus as:
“9b …the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him...”
Hebrews 5:9b
That passage does not say Jesus saves those who earn salvation. It says that He saves those who obey Him.
Obedience is not the price paid for salvation. Obedience is the response of faith through which we accept God’s loving and gracious offer.
IV. We are saved by grace through faith
Ephesians 2:8 does not merely say, “By grace you have been saved.” It says:
“By grace you have been saved through faith.”
Grace is God’s part—the divine provision. But mankind has their part to fulfill as well.
Faith, you see, is man’s response—it is the means through which we receive what God has provided and that is His grace. But biblical faith is more than mentally agreeing that Jesus exists.
James wrote:
“24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do, and not by faith alone.”
James 2:24
This is the only verse in the Bible that uses the words “faith only,” and it says justification is NOT by faith only.
He isn’t teaching that we earn salvation through works. He’s teaching that saving faith is active, it’s obedient, and it’s alive.
“26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds (some versions say ‘works’) is dead also.”
James 2:26
Noah was saved by grace, but he still had to build the ark.
Israel received Jericho as a gift, but the people still had to march around the city.
Naaman’s healing was a gift from God, but he still had to go and wash in the Jordan river.
Their obedience did not earn God’s blessing. It demonstrated the faith by which they received God’s blessing. In the same way, obeying the gospel does not compete with grace. It is how faith responds to grace.
Paul spoke of:
“5 …obedience that comes from faith…”
Romans 1:5
Biblical faith obeys.
V. GRACE DOES NOT exclude baptism
Some argue that if baptism is necessary, salvation cannot be by grace. But that conclusion does not come from God’s Word. On Pentecost, convicted believers asked:
“37 …‘Brothers, what shall we do?’”
Acts 2:37
And Peter told them in the very next verse, didn’t he:
“38 …’Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.”
Acts 2:38
Peter did not believe this answer contradicted grace.
Jesus Himself said:
“16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.”
Mark 16:16
Ananias told Saul:
“16b Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.”
Acts 22:16
Peter explained later in his first epistle chapter 3:21, that the saving power is not in washing dirt off the body, but that it is “a pledge of a clear conscience toward God.”
The water does not earn salvation. The sinner cannot save himself. It is the blood shed by Christ’ which saves. We are not saved because we have performed a marvelous work. We are saved because, in trusting obedience, we come into contact with the saving work of Christ.
VI. Saving grace teaches us how to live
Grace not only forgives us, it transforms us.
“11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”
Titus 2:11–12
A person who claims to be saved by grace while they deliberately continue to live a life of sin has failed to understand the grace of God.
Paul wrote:
“10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works...”
Ephesians 2:10
And right before that in verse 9 says Paul says salvation is NOT BY WORKS. We see there in verse 10, that we are created to do good works. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved FORgood works. Good works are not the root of salvation; they are its fruit.
VII. A Christian must continue in grace
Grace is not merely something we encounter at the beginning of the Christian life. We must continue in it.
Acts 13:43 records that Paul and Barnabas persuaded believers: “To continue in the grace of God.”
But Paul also warned in Galations 5:4:
“4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.”
Galatians 5:4
A person cannot fall from somewhere he has never been. This warning shows that a Christian must not abandon dependence upon Christ and His gospel. We must never replace grace with self-righteousness. But neither can we use grace as an excuse to be unfaithful.
A young man stood before a judge after repeatedly being caught driving with a suspended license. The fine was far more than he could pay. He had no defense and no way to make things right.
Before the judge announced the sentence, an older man from the community stepped forward. He knew the young man’s family, paid the entire fine, and arranged for someone to help him get his license restored legally. The young man walked out of the courtroom free—not because he had earned mercy, but because someone else had paid what he could not pay.
But imagine if he said, “Since that man paid my fine, I can keep driving illegally. If I get caught again, perhaps he will pay it again.” That would not show gratitude. It would show that he had misunderstood the gift completely.
On the other hand, the young man also could not walk around saying, “I am a better man than everyone else because I got my life straight.” He knew the truth: he had been given mercy.
That is grace. We do not stand before God because we have paid our own debt or lived better than someone else. Jesus has done for us what we could never do for ourselves. Therefore, we must never replace grace with self-righteousness. But neither can we use grace as an excuse to keep living in the same disobedience from which Christ came to free us.
Grace does not demand perfection from Christians, but it does demand faithfulness.
VIII. God’s grace and man’s response
The biblical plan of salvation displays both divine grace and human response.
God’s gracious provision | Man’s faithful response |
God sent His Son | We believe in Christ |
Christ died for our sins | We repent of our sins |
God revealed the gospel | We confess Jesus as Lord |
Christ shed His blood | We are baptized into His death |
God adds us to His church | We continue faithfully |
Christ intercedes for us | We confess and turn from sin |
None of our responses could save us without the grace of God. But God’s grace does not save those who refuse to respond in the manner He has directed us to. Jesus said:
“15 If you love Me, keep My commands.”
John 14:15
And the Revelation 2:10 says:
“10b Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”
Revelation 2:10
The crown is still a gift. Faithfulness does not earn it. But the Lord promises it to those who remain faithful.
Conclusion: Grace brings us home
Imagine a man who has fallen into a deep pit. He cannot climb out. He cannot rescue himself. Someone above has to lower a rope. The trapped man did not make the rope. He did not lower it. He did not provide the strength of the person pulling from above. His rescue is entirely dependent upon help from outside himself. But he still must take hold of the rope.
Just like our earlier example of the man on the roof. If he had gotten into the canoe or boat or took hold of the rope ladder that does not mean he would have rescued himself. It means he trusted and accepted the means of rescue that had been provided. That is what obedient faith does.
God supplied the plan. Jesus paid the price. The Holy Spirit revealed the gospel. The blood provides cleansing and grace offers salvation.
But we must take hold of that grace through faith and obedience. It is in fact that obedience that saves us. The obedience of baptism, then living a life God would have us live. We must not trust in our goodness or our own works.
It is so easy as a Christian to think “Oh I’m not going to worry about that little sin, grace has me covered.” We must not presume grace will save us while we refuse to obey the Savior.
The proper question is not, “Have I done enough to earn salvation?” None of us can ever do enough. The proper question is, “Have I trusted Christ enough to obey Him?”
Grace is not opposed to obedience. Grace makes obedience meaningful.
Grace does not save us because we are worthy. Grace saves us when, through obedient faith, we come to the One who is worthy. The invitation of grace remains open.
We are saved by grace—but not by a grace that leaves us unchanged. We are saved by a grace that calls us, teaches us, cleanses us, and leads us home, a grace that requires action on our part.
And the lesson is yours.
Comments