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April 15, 2004, Vol.3, No.8. By Grace You Have Been Saved Through Faith Part 2 Keith Sharp The term "grace" means primarily "good-will, lovingkindness, favor" (Thayer. 666). Thus, Jesus as a child "increased in ... favor (grace - KS) with God." (Luke 2:52) But when the word is used of our salvation it means "kindness which bestows upon another what he has not deserved." (Thayer, Ibid) Thus, the apostle Paul explains: Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.... (Romans 4:4-5) Saving grace has four characteristics. First, the recipient of the grace has a need he cannot himself supply. "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5:6) We lacked the strength, i.e., ability, to save ourselves because of our ungodliness. Second, grace implies the ability of the one extending grace to supply the need. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25) Third, the recipient of the grace is unworthy of receiving it. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7-8) Finally, grace is always from God to man, never from man to God. God has no need we can supply, and whatever good we do toward Him He deserves (Psalm 50:12; Revelation 4:11). Regarding salvation, the term "grace" is employed in two senses in the New Testament. It denotes the availability of salvation from God through Christ (Titus 2:11-12), and it designates the relationship the saved have in Christ Jesus (Romans 5:1-2). Grace is well illustrated by the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). In this parable the Master paints for us a beautiful word picture of the love of God for lost sinners. Who can forget the tender scene of the loving father receiving back his wayfaring, undeserving boy and restoring him to a position of honor which he had forfeited and did not deserve to regain? But the matchless love of that daddy looked past the sins and mistakes to see a penitent boy whom he loved with all his heart. The great grace of our loving Father could not be better illustrated. Do we need this grace? We have sinned (Romans 3:23), and "the wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23) Since we deserve spiritual death, it is only in God’s grace His hope can be extended. How can we gain access to the benefits of God’s grace? The Father revealed His love for us in sending "his Son to be the propitiation (satisfaction of the penalty - KS) for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10) Jesus’ blood, i.e., His death (Romans 5:9-10), will take away the guilt of our sins (Matthew 26:28). God’s spiritual blessings for us are "in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3), in "the church, which is His body." (Ephesians 1:22-23) Some contend salvation is "wholly by grace." For example, The New Hampshire Confession of Faith, the doctrinal basis for the existence of the Baptist church in the United States, asserts, "We believe the Scriptures teach that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace...." (Hiscox. 138). They contend that if we do anything to obtain salvation we have earned it, and thus it would not be a gift (Ephesians 2:8). If salvation is wholly by grace, then one of three things must be true. Either God has selected a specific group of people to be saved without regard to anything they might do (as Calvinists teach), He will save everyone (as Universalists believe) or He will save no one (which no one believes). We know the merciful Father has not predestined which individuals will be saved, for His saving grace is for all men ( Titus 2:11). Also, we know that not everyone will be saved (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Finally, Jesus promised that some would be saved (Matthew 25:34).Thus, since all three possibilities are eliminated, we know that salvation is not "wholly by grace." The apostle Peter exhorted his audience on Pentecost, "Be saved from this perverse generation." (Acts 2:40) Certainly the verb "be saved" is passive, but the very exhortation implies the sinner must do something to effect his salvation. When the Israelites took the city of Jericho, they had to march around that city a total of thirteen times, they had to shout with a great shout, and the priests had to blow on rams’ horns before the walls would fall (Joshua chapter 6). Yet God told Joshua, "I have given Jericho into your hand." (verse 2) They had to do something to obtain the city, for this was a conditional gift. Certainly, then, the fact that salvation is a gift does not prove that God has not set conditions we must meet to receive the gift. There is a great difference between conditional salvation and salvation as a matter of debt. Through Faith What are the conditions upon which God by His grace will give the gift of salvation? Paul says it is "through faith." (Ephesians2:8) What is "faith?" The author of Hebrews defines "faith" as "the substance (assurance, New American Standard Bible) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction, NASB) of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) "Faith," in relationship to "hope," is that which "substantiates" or upholds it. It is "assurance" of that which we both desire and expect. Furthermore, it is based on "evidence" which yields "conviction" concerning things not seen. Also, faith includes trust, for "he who comes to God must believe that He is (conviction - KS), and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (trust - KS)." (Hebrews 11:6) The three elements of saving faith are conviction based on evidence, trust, and assurance. No Bible believer questions the fact that faith saves. It is the means by which we gain "access" into the grace of the loving Father, whereby we may "rejoice in hope" of eternal glory (Romans 5:1-2). But, what kind of faith saves? Saving faith stands upon "the word of God." (Romans 10:17) Faith in human philosophy, men’s opinions, our parents’ religion, church creeds and teachings, or our own good deeds will not do. Furthermore, the faith which "avails" is "faith working through love." (Galatians5:6) But, didn’t Paul say that salvation was "not of works, lest anyone should boast"? (Ephesians 2:9) Why, then, did he say that faith, to benefit, had to work? Denominational doctrine notwithstanding, Jesus declared that faith is a work that we do (John 6:28-29). Did Paul contradict both himself and Jesus when he said salvation is "not of works"? No, the Scriptures, being truth, never contradict themselves. Rather, as Paul shows in Ephesians 2:9, he is eliminating the possibility that boastful works will save a person. Salvation cannot be both by grace and meritorious works (Romans 11:6). What works could lead a person to boast of having earned salvation? If a man could be saved by keeping the law of Moses, he could boast (Romans 3:27-28), for one would have to be sinlessly perfect to be saved by it (Galatians 3:10). Therefore, salvation by keeping the Mosaic law is eliminated by Paul’s statement in Ephesians 2:9. Also, if a person, by his own human wisdom, could create a plan of salvation, he could glory. Thus, the apostle’s statement also eliminates the idea of salvation by some plan created by human wisdom (Romans 10:1-3). But, are works of obedience to God also eliminated as conditions of salvation? No, the New Testament plainly teaches we must obey Christ in order to be saved (Matthew 7:21; Hebrews 5:8-9). Having so obeyed, we still have not earned salvation (Luke 17:10). No condemned sinner can ever do enough good deeds to earn pardon. Conclusion All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6) We each and all have sinned and earned eternal condemnation to the fiery abyss of hell. The Holy One whom we have grievously wronged Himself paid our debt, and that payment in full was the cruel death of His only Son. Truly, His is "amazing grace." He graciously informs us of the simple conditions we must meet to manifest our faith in His Son and receive the benefits of that indescribable gift. Why not respond in simple, trusting faith. Obey the gospel, receive His grace, rejoice in your salvation.
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