Amazing Grace, Part 3

March, 2007

by: Tim Carns

“By grace you have been saved”—these words from Ephesians 2:5, 8 are among the sweetest penned in Scripture. Last month we looked at this passage to better understand God’s amazing grace that saves. We learned how this undeserved or unmerited favor from God resulted in our salvation from the world, Satan, and even our own sin (Eph 2:2-3). Yet, many Christians live as if God’s grace ends at the moment of conversion. This would depict God like a farmer who plants a seed in some wet soil and then walks away never to further water, fertilize, weed and otherwise care for the plant to help it grow. However, Ephesians 2:10 demonstrates that God’s grace extends beyond our initial repentance and belief in Christ to also include the life which follows. Paul says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Here we see that another reason no one can boast in his or her salvation is because the believer is God’s workmanship or handiwork. That is, believers have been newly created in Christ (2 Cor 5:17) for a purpose—for good works (Eph 4:24). God chose us in Christ so that we would be holy and blameless (Eph 1:4). Believers are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29) and have been redeemed to be zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). “Good works” are those deeds which are beneficial for us or others as modeled by our Savior (Acts 10:38). Paul gives several examples of the good works in which believers are to walk in chapters 4-6 of Ephesians (note the repetition of “walk” in Ephesians 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15). Believers are created in Christ not because of their good works but to produce good works (Titus 3:8, 14). God’s grace does not extend to believers simply to save them from the fires of Hell, but continues in the believer’s life to sanctify them in holiness. This was His intent from the beginning as seen by the phrase “which God prepared beforehand” which could refer to before the believer’s salvation, but more likely means before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4).

Thus, not only did God provide the spiritual resurrection to new life that we could not achieve on our own, His grace also has supplied the path of good works that we are to walk in as a believer. Taking verses 8-10 in their entirety, we see that both the new birth of the believer and his life thereafter is all of God’s grace. He or she has been given everything necessary to be saved as well as to live out the life of holiness God requires. This truth teaches us that there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation AND there is nothing we can do to “unearn” it (i.e., lose it). Lewis Sperry Chafer aptly said, “Grace ceases to be grace if God is compelled to withdraw it in the presence of human failure and sin. In fact, grace cannot be exercised where there is the slightest degree of human merit to be recognized.” Thus, Paul was confident that the work God’s grace had begun would continue until glorification (Phil 1:6; 1 Thess 5:23-24; 1 Pet 5:10).

Not only does Paul communicate within Ephesians 2:1-10 that God’s grace produces both salvation and sanctification, he also reveals that the reason God pours out His grace is based on who He is. Mankind is described as being dead in sin (Eph 2:1, 5) while God is described as being rich in mercy (Eph 2:4). The present tense of the verb, “being,” indicates that God is continuously in this state. “Mercy” is generally defined as an emotional concern for someone in need or showing someone compassion and pity (e.g. the good Samaritan [Lk 10:37]). In regards to salvation, mercy is defined as God’s undeserved forgiveness (cf. Matt 18:33; Titus 3:5). The context of Ephesians 2 shows God’s mercy is demonstrated by not giving sinners what they deserve. Rather than turning away from the stench of our rotting corpses, God shows compassion—a rich and wealthy compassion that is not stingy.

In addition to being a richly merciful God, God’s motivation in salvation was “because of His great love” (2:4). Harold Hoehner describes this love (agape) as “a love that seeks the highest good in the one loved … it is given irrespective of merit and to those who are underserving” (emphasis added). Paul rests attention on God’s love both by the repetition of the word “loved” as well as by describing it as a great love. Thus God’s love, like His grace, finds no merit within the one being loved. God is a loving God (John 3:16), so much so, that the apostle John characterizes Him as love (1 Jn 4:8). In love He predestined us to adoption (Eph 1:4-5) and in love Christ died for us though we were still His enemies (Rom 5:8).

God not only pours out His grace because He is rich in mercy and full of great love, but also because of His “kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:7). “Kindness” (chrēstós) has the idea of being helpful, good, and generous. Jesus describes the kindness of God that we are to emulate as doing good and giving to others, expecting nothing in return (Luke 6:35). Paul is describing here that the manner in which God demonstrates His grace upon sinners is in a spirit of generosity and kindness.

So, to answer the question of why God graciously saves sinners, Ephesians 2:4-7 replies that God acts on our behalf because of His own merciful, loving and kind nature. There is nothing good or of value in us to elicit His grace. He simply responds to our great need because of His great love—because of Who He is. No wonder Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians with an exclamation of praise to God—“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:3). Indeed He has truly lavished His grace upon us (1:7-8).

Grace! It is the first word that comes to our minds when we consider that God would save desperate and dying men. Grace came running to our aide though we were His sworn enemies in complete rebellion against Him. Grace continues to carry us along the path of holiness God has called us to walk. Grace pumps the very lifeblood of our relationship with God. Grace is an infintely deep well from which we may draw all we need pertaining to life and godliness. God’s Grace is on display for all of creation, both visible and invisible, to behold in this age and in the one to come. While the first verse of the Bible begins with God’s display of power in creation, the last verse appropriately ends with His grace. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen.” Amen.

• Amazing Grace, Part 1
• Amazing Grace, Part 2
• Amazing Grace, Part 3