Jesus preached a works salvation plain and simple!
Work = To do something.
Jesus taught that YOU MUST be a doer of the word.
This passage is one of the most abused and least understood passages in the Bible.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Grace = Charis
From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).
Grace is indeed a free gift but what sort of gift is it?
Grace is the divine influence on the heart of man and grace teaches us.
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
The grace of God BRINGS salvation when we put it to use through faith. Faith is the working principle that activates grace in our lives. Faith is the DOING part or the WORK that we must do.
This is why Paul wrote...
2Co 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
You see we are to WORK TOGETHER with God otherwise we receive grace to NO EFFECT.
God is the AUTHOR of salvation not us, yet we MUST OBEY and yield to the working of the author in us. If you don't obey you will not be saved.
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Look at what James wrote...
Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
You are a doer of the word when you are obeying God thus being a worker together with Him.
Look at Noah...
Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Noah was saved by grace through faith. God was the author of his salvation from the flood. The warning and instructions on building the ark was God's grace but Noah had to WORK TOGETHER with God, Noah had to be a DOER of the word. Otherwise he would have received the grace of God in vain.
It is very simple.
Let's look at the subject verse again...
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are saved by grace and not of ourselves. That means that we are not the authors of our own salvation, it is God leading the way. It is not something we do apart from God. It is by faith that we put to use the divine influence on our hearts to use.
What are the works Paul is talking about? He is talking about works done apart from God. Cleaning the outside of the cup apart from an internal cleansing.
Look at what the Jews did...
Rom 2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
The Jews were boasting in the cleansing of the outside of the cup. Look at what Jesus said to them...
Mat_23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleansefirst that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
True righteousness is from the inside out not the outside in. That is why salvation is by grace through faith and not of works. You cannot purify the cup by works done apart from the grace of God.
Look at what Paul wrote right before Rom 2:17.
Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another
It is the law on the heart that counts because that will produce good fruit. The external appearance can be deceiving because the underlying motive can be corrupt just as it was with the Pharisees. They sought to appear righteous but were inwardly filthy.
Mat_23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
The Pharisees boasted in the works of the law done apart from a true faith.
Rom 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
That is why Paul wrote...
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
But instead would say...
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Righteousness is from the inside out not the outside in. It is a very simple teaching.
Here is another very important scripture...
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
The law is established in the heart through faith. It is through this faith that we walk after the Spirit fulfilling the righteous requirements of the law.
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
This is because a faith that works by love fulfills the law.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Which is why Jesus taught this...
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Love fulfills the law. True righteousness come by a faith that works by love. The root is pure.
Jesus said this...Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Out righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and pharisees when we walk by a faith that works by love having the law established in our hearts and we thus fulfill the righteous requirements of the law by the Spirit.
The letter kills but the Spirit brings life.
2Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Again let's look at our subject passage...
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
When we are workers together with God by faith our hearts are purified. This is why it says this in Acts.
Act 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
It is also why Peter wrote this...
1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
It is the pure in heart that will see God.
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
The vast majority of professing Christianity has no idea about what I have written and they see grace as some provision or package which they simply trust in to be saved. They throw works out the window.
Jesus preached WORKS.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mar 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
It is about works done in faith. Those are the works Abraham did. That was the faith that God counted Abraham righteous by.
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
It is the same with us.
Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
True believers are doers of the word. They walk after the Spirit with their old man crucified with Christ, they are born again and they are not sinning.
1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
You do not fulfill the righteous requirements of the law by sinning every day in thought word and deed every day. Salvation is not some package, provision, or covering which you trust in to make up for your continued sin. That is a lie of Satan.
Jesus gave Himself for us that we be made pure.
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
He did not give Himself that we remain sinners. The false teachers today twist scriptures like Rom 7:15, 1Tim 1:15, and 1Joh 1:8 and Eph 2:8-10 right out of their context to keep the people deceived and in bondage to their sin. Don't be deceived!
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Which are you sowing to?
There think very carefully about what Paul is teaching here and do not buy into what all the false teachers are telling you.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Grace is the divine influence on the heart which God freely gives us. We cannot earn it, God is the author of our salvation, it is God that quickens us.
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
We don't quicken ourselves. We put this grace to use through an active obedient faith. We walk in the light as He is in the light which means we stop sinning. We walk in purity and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If you are not walking in the light then you are not cleansed. A true repentance allows a true conversion to take place where the sin stops. Then the Lord will come and regenerate you and your sins will be forgiven. Not before.
Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
It is a very simple message.
Work = To do something.
Jesus taught that YOU MUST be a doer of the word.
This passage is one of the most abused and least understood passages in the Bible.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Grace = Charis
From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).
Grace is indeed a free gift but what sort of gift is it?
Grace is the divine influence on the heart of man and grace teaches us.
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
The grace of God BRINGS salvation when we put it to use through faith. Faith is the working principle that activates grace in our lives. Faith is the DOING part or the WORK that we must do.
This is why Paul wrote...
2Co 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
You see we are to WORK TOGETHER with God otherwise we receive grace to NO EFFECT.
God is the AUTHOR of salvation not us, yet we MUST OBEY and yield to the working of the author in us. If you don't obey you will not be saved.
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Look at what James wrote...
Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
You are a doer of the word when you are obeying God thus being a worker together with Him.
Look at Noah...
Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Noah was saved by grace through faith. God was the author of his salvation from the flood. The warning and instructions on building the ark was God's grace but Noah had to WORK TOGETHER with God, Noah had to be a DOER of the word. Otherwise he would have received the grace of God in vain.
It is very simple.
Let's look at the subject verse again...
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are saved by grace and not of ourselves. That means that we are not the authors of our own salvation, it is God leading the way. It is not something we do apart from God. It is by faith that we put to use the divine influence on our hearts to use.
What are the works Paul is talking about? He is talking about works done apart from God. Cleaning the outside of the cup apart from an internal cleansing.
Look at what the Jews did...
Rom 2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
The Jews were boasting in the cleansing of the outside of the cup. Look at what Jesus said to them...
Mat_23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleansefirst that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
True righteousness is from the inside out not the outside in. That is why salvation is by grace through faith and not of works. You cannot purify the cup by works done apart from the grace of God.
Look at what Paul wrote right before Rom 2:17.
Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another
It is the law on the heart that counts because that will produce good fruit. The external appearance can be deceiving because the underlying motive can be corrupt just as it was with the Pharisees. They sought to appear righteous but were inwardly filthy.
Mat_23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
The Pharisees boasted in the works of the law done apart from a true faith.
Rom 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
That is why Paul wrote...
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
But instead would say...
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Righteousness is from the inside out not the outside in. It is a very simple teaching.
Here is another very important scripture...
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
The law is established in the heart through faith. It is through this faith that we walk after the Spirit fulfilling the righteous requirements of the law.
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
This is because a faith that works by love fulfills the law.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Which is why Jesus taught this...
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Love fulfills the law. True righteousness come by a faith that works by love. The root is pure.
Jesus said this...Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Out righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and pharisees when we walk by a faith that works by love having the law established in our hearts and we thus fulfill the righteous requirements of the law by the Spirit.
The letter kills but the Spirit brings life.
2Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Again let's look at our subject passage...
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
When we are workers together with God by faith our hearts are purified. This is why it says this in Acts.
Act 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
It is also why Peter wrote this...
1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
It is the pure in heart that will see God.
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
The vast majority of professing Christianity has no idea about what I have written and they see grace as some provision or package which they simply trust in to be saved. They throw works out the window.
Jesus preached WORKS.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mar 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
It is about works done in faith. Those are the works Abraham did. That was the faith that God counted Abraham righteous by.
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
It is the same with us.
Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
True believers are doers of the word. They walk after the Spirit with their old man crucified with Christ, they are born again and they are not sinning.
1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
You do not fulfill the righteous requirements of the law by sinning every day in thought word and deed every day. Salvation is not some package, provision, or covering which you trust in to make up for your continued sin. That is a lie of Satan.
Jesus gave Himself for us that we be made pure.
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
He did not give Himself that we remain sinners. The false teachers today twist scriptures like Rom 7:15, 1Tim 1:15, and 1Joh 1:8 and Eph 2:8-10 right out of their context to keep the people deceived and in bondage to their sin. Don't be deceived!
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Which are you sowing to?
There think very carefully about what Paul is teaching here and do not buy into what all the false teachers are telling you.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Grace is the divine influence on the heart which God freely gives us. We cannot earn it, God is the author of our salvation, it is God that quickens us.
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
We don't quicken ourselves. We put this grace to use through an active obedient faith. We walk in the light as He is in the light which means we stop sinning. We walk in purity and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If you are not walking in the light then you are not cleansed. A true repentance allows a true conversion to take place where the sin stops. Then the Lord will come and regenerate you and your sins will be forgiven. Not before.
Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
It is a very simple message.
