07.18.10
J.A. Matteson
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God”
God works all things according to the good purpose of His will (Eph. 1:11), being the first cause to which all things are subservient, and these finding their existence and governance either directly by Him or indirectly through secondary causes which He has ordained. A most horrifying portrait of the human condition in sin is displayed by the Apostle in verses 1-3 of this chapter, specifically designed to explicitly underscore man's hopelessness and helplessness in initiating his own redemption. The crippling effects of the Fall have left the race morally impotent, utterly void in any capacity to respond favorably to the Gospel for salvation. For a man cannot be saved unto life when he is already dead. After all, what can a dead man do other than stink?
By definition to be dead is to be unresponsive which is why the Apostle also states that to the unregenerate man, to the natural man, the things of the Spirit are foolishness to him and that he cannot understand them or respond favorably to them (1 Cor. 1:8). A trait of the fallen condition of man is pride and God in His wisdom has shut out every basis for pride by grace, “For by grace you have been saved.” Grace is the gift to sinners, the antecedent to spiritual life, it is the means through which the faith is possible. Apart from grace faith is impossible, and this grace bestowed irrespective of the fallen human condition, being an unmerited gift.
By grace sinners become passive recipients of God's life giving initiative through regeneration, that they may walk in newness of life in the likeness of Him who bore their sin on Calvary. Faith, then, is the byproduct or outworking of this marvelous grace in which the sinner stands, and grace is unmerited favor or it is no longer grace, being initiated by God according to His purpose and good pleasure. To the gift of this grace the Apostle also states, “being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). It is true that he in another passage states that justification is the result of faith alone, but note the antecedent to faith is always grace bringing forth spiritual life; therefore, faith is not of human origin, but of God, and that revelation from God to man smacks at the heart of human pride.
Indeed, even John makes this clear, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (Jn 1:12-13). And in as much as God cannot contradict Himself how are we to understand John? Are we to interpret him here to mean that faith is of human origin and as a result sinners are born again, that God did his bit in redemption by sending His Son but leaves the final outcome of salvation up to depraved minds cloaked in darkness, deaf to spiritual truth, those who consider by nature are children of wrath and who regard the Gospel of Christ as foolishness? Is that a conclusion consistent with Paul? By no means! Most certainly what John is saying is that to those who receive Christ, believing on His name, are those who are blessed, for they are indeed passive recipients of grace, that which quickens the dead heart of stone unto life, enabling and ensuring that it responds positively to Gospel, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved)”(Eph. 2:4-5). The gift of grace leading to life and faith is mentioned by Paul extensively where it eliminates boasting, giving glory to God alone for salvation (Rom. 5:15, 6:23; Eph. 3:7, 4:7, etc.). It is the power of God's grace within sinners that brings them to faith and keeps them in faith. God's grace is not without its effect upon the heart in that the circumcision of the Spirit casts away the enmity and prior disposition of unbelief leading to rebellion.
To those foreknown to the Father in eternity past—persons foreknown (not actions or deeds of faith foreknown as the semi-Pelagian's/Arminian's would insist), to these predestined to life the call to life through the Gospel is effective accomplishing its purpose, for the Spirit gives them ears to hear (quickening) and a new nature, one that desires Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Being regenerated or born again by the Spirit they respond to the Gospel in faith and are justified freely. Where is boasting? It is eliminated. On what basis is it eliminated? On the basis of grace. It is for this reason the Apostle chose his words exactly, “...by grace through faith...” Grace is the basis for salvation and faith is the means. Apart from grace faith would not exist and where grace is present faith is assured, for like grace it too is the gift of God. Sola Dei Gloria!
Copyright (c) 2010 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever..." Isa. 40:8).
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