Romans 11:6 Ephesians 2:4-10

Introduction:

1. Human error has created a tension between grace and obedience.

2. The dispute centers in whether God’s grace has conditions.

3. Does the concept that one must be obedient to enter and remain in God’s grace deny or contradict salvation by grace?

Discussion:

I. The Contention

A. Paul plainly said salvation is not of works (Romans 3:28; 4:1-6).

B. Therefore, to claim one must be obedient is erroneous as it adds something to grace in obtaining salvation (Romans 11:6).

C. Is salvation by grace exclusive of demands for obedience?

II. By Grace

A. Without question, salvation is by grace (Ephesians 2:8).

B. No amount of good works saves us (Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:9).

C. The Protestant mantra, sola gratia, by grace alone grew out of Luther and Calvin’s understanding of these and other passages.

D. Does this statement stand up to scrutiny?

III. Through Faith

A. Interestingly, the reformers both past and present do not truly believe salvation is by grace alone.

B. This is evident in another mantra of the same group of reformers and their disciples, sola fide, by faith alone.

C. Alone= “exclusive of anyone or anything else” (Webster)

D. Grace and faith are two distinct things which implies:

1. If salvation is by grace alone, faith is excluded.

2. If salvation is by faith alone, grace is excluded.

3. Therefore, it is a contradiction of terms to say that salvation is by grace alone and by faith alone.

E. Understanding their distinctive functions brings clarity.

IV. By Grace, Through Faith, Not of Works

A. Paul made the point above in Ephesians 2:8.

B. Salvation is “by grace, through faith.”

1. “By grace” indicates the source of salvation.

2. “Through faith” indicates the means of obtaining salvation.

3. “Not of works” eliminates any claim that our good deeds are the source of our salvation.

C. Do these truths eliminate conditions of salvation?

V. Grace + Faith = Obedience Leading to Righteousness

A. God’s saving grace appeared to all humanity (Titus 2:11).

1. God desires all humanity to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4-5; 2 Peter 3:9).

2. If God’s saving grace is received without condition, and if it has appeared to all humanity, and if God desires all humanity to be saved, then all humanity will be saved.

B. God’s saving grace must be coupled with faith.

1. Faith= “firm persuasion/conviction, faithfulness” (Mounce)

2. Noah is a great example of this coupling:

a. He found grace in God’s eyes (Genesis 6:8).

b. God’s grace produced terms of salvation (Genesis 6:13-21).

c. By faith, Noah obeyed God’s commands and received salvation (Genesis 6:22; Hebrews 11:7).

3. Inactive faith is ineffectual (Hebrews 3:16-4:11; James 2:14-26).

C. God’s grace, coupled with our faith always produces action (Romans 1:5; 16:25-26; 6:1-8, 16-18; Titus 2:11-14).

Conclusion:

1. When all is brought to bear, it is certain that only the grace of God saves us from our sin.

2. Nonetheless, God’s grace demands active, obedient faith to receive it.

3. As C.S. Lewis put it, “Regarding the debate about faith and works: It’s like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most important.”