"Nothing in my hand I bring" - Reflections on Ephesians 2 (part 4)

Last time, I shared how a pastor once used the analogy of a mountain climber reaching the apex of the mountain, when one gets to Ephesians 2:8-10.  Previously, we looked at verse 8: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”  Let’s continue.  The passage goes on: “Not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:9; New International Version).  This notion is found all throughout the Word of God.  For just one example, Titus 3 says that God saved us, “not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy” (verse 5).

 

One resource states, “You don’t have to perform for God in order to win His favor.  The beauty and wonder of your life in Christ is that your initial and continuing connection with God is not dependent upon your conduct.  There is nothing you can do to make God love you more (so you don’t have to perform for Him like some trained circus monkey).  And, there is nothing you can do to make God love you less (so you don’t have to fret about the screw-ups you will inevitably make).  All you have to do to begin your new life in Christ is to believe and receive the free gift of salvation He offers you.”  (From God is Amazing by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission)

There are those who get very nervous when this concept is presented.  They reason, “If you are saved by grace alone, what is to stop someone from going out and living a life of sinful debauchery?”  I could write an entire blog alone on why this is flawed logic.  But let me just give two responses today.

First, the Bible never teaches it!  Never once does the Bible declare that because salvation is by grace, you can just go out and live as immorally as you want.  To the contrary, you read just the opposite.  You read things like: “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means” (Romans 6:1-2)!  Or consider these strong words in 1 Peter: “abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11).  2 Timothy 1 says that God “called us to a holy life” (verse 9). 

Secondly, an important point in this argument is context.  You can’t just rip out a line or two from the Bible, and ignore the surrounding verses.  In the case of Ephesians 2, we go on to read that we are actually saved “for good works” (verse 10; English Standard Version)”.  Over the years, I’ve often used this quote from the late Dr. Adrian Rogers; he stated that we are not saved by good works, but for good works. 

The next phrase in Ephesians 2:9 is a significant one: “so that no one can boast.”  Works don’t save anyone because, if they did, a believer could take the credit and glory for their salvation.  Pastor Bill Oudemolen once gave the illustration of a person drowning, who is subsequently saved by a lifeguard; but then the rescued person brags on himself, rather than the lifeguard!  He went on to say that, in the same way, the man or woman can do nothing other than offer their gratitude to Christ for saving them.  The old hymn says, “Nothing in my hand I bring; simply to Thy cross I cling.”

Kevin