“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
The word grace means unearned favor. Therefore, to be saved by the grace of God means that salvation is given to you free and clear. You can’t earn it; nor do you deserve it. But there is one thing you must do to benefit from it: You must receive it by faith. Salvation is a gift of God, bestowed on mankind through His grace. But that’s not the only thing God’s grace gives us.
Psalm 84:11 says, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”
Because of God’s grace, the righteous are showered with His everlasting goodness and mercy. God favors His obedient children with good things. That’s God’s grace! And when we experience God’s continual blessings in our lives, we’re experiencing His grace because we don’t deserve any of His goodness.
II Corinthians 12:9 says, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
God’s grace is displayed through His power. When we are fainthearted and weak, Christ is then able to empower us with His strength and wisdom and guidance. Your weakness becomes God’s strength through His grace and power.
All God’s children understand salvation by grace through faith. (If they don’t, then they’re not really God’s children.)
- By grace – we don’t deserve salvation; nor could we ever attain to God’s holy standards by our own merits.
- Through faith – we come to God just as we are, trusting Him to save us.
Yet, although God’s children trust His grace to save them, a lot of them reject His grace when it comes to keeping them. “Not of yourselves” and “not of works” are very clear. No one can earn his way to Heaven, and anyone who believes that they can, are not saved because they’re not trusting in God’s saving grace, but rather their own righteousness. If there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation, then how is it that so many of God’s children believe they must work in order to keep their salvation?
I Peter 1:5 says, “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
This is referring to believers. Ephesians 2:8 says that we’re saved by grace through faith; then I Peter 1:5 says that we’re kept by the power of God through faith.
Romans 4:4 says, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.”
Our sin debt is too big to ever be paid. It’s like owing someone a hundred trillion dollars. You could never pay it off. But when that person releases you from your financial obligation and stamps on your bill “Paid in Full,” you are now free from your debt.
Then Romans 4:5 says, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” You see, it’s by God’s grace that we’re saved, kept, blessed, strengthened, empowered, indwelt…
Romans 11:6 says, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace…” In other words, if the grace of God saves us and keeps us, then our works don’t do anything to help us get saved, but if works could save, then we’re not really saved by grace at all.