Paul reminds the Ephesians of how God the Father
redeemed them “in Christ”
Ephesians
2:8-9 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. KJVPaul now declares to these Ephesians the method of their salvation. This verse of scripture has been long debated by many Christian scholars over the many centuries as to whether or not both the grace and faith is given to the lost sinner at his or her conversion. First, Paul uses the English word “for” at the very beginning of this sentence and this word is translated by the Greek word gar which is a primary particle; properly assigning a reason (used in argument or explanation). We can conclude that Paul is using this word “for/gar” showing these Ephesians the reason and explaining to them (by way of argument asserting that the evidence is not refutable). In other words, Paul recounting his own personal experience of salvation in his own heart and mind sees clearly that he was completely passive in his conversion to Christ and he likewise makes this assertion to these Ephesians and to us today to do likewise and in so doing we can come to nothing but the same conclusion.
The reason Paul declares is “by grace” and this English phrase is translated by the Greek word charis meaning spiritually the Divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life as it is used by Paul here. In other words, the spiritual power of charis is what made these Ephesians turn away from their pagan worship of the goddess Diana and all their sexually immoral practices and occult practices associated with said worship to love and follow the One True God our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. Charis influenced their inner man and inner woman in such a powerful, profound, and positive way that all of their former beliefs were illuminated for the darkness that it really and actually was during the many years they lived in it as we recall Paul declared earlier with these words, “In which at one time you walked [habitually]. You were following the course {and} fashion of this world [were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air. [You were obedient to and under the control of] the [demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience [the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God]. Among these we as well as you once lived {and} conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God’s] wrath {and} heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind.” (Ephesians 2:2-3).
This mighty, magnificent, and marvelous grace/charis will be what these Ephesian believers and every true believer of every generation worship and give praise to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in Heaven for all eternity. Paul uses the English word “are” translated by the Greek word este meaning have been or past tense. In other words, Paul is writing to those Ephesians who have already experienced this grace/charis and had their lives changed by the Divine influence of the Holy Spirit of Promise (Ephesians 1:13). Paul goes on to use the English phrase “ye saved” translated by the Greek word sozo meaning to be safe, delivered, and protected; to be healed, to be preserved, and to be made whole. Here is what Alexander MaLaren had to say in defining salvation, “The Christian salvation is, on its negative side, a deliverance from something impending-peril-and a healing of something infecting us-the sickness of sin. It is a deliverance; what from? Take, in the briefest possible language, three sayings of Scripture to answer that question-what am I to be saved from? ‘His name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.’ He ‘delivers’-or saves-’us from the wrath to come.’ He ‘saves a soul from death.’ Sin, wrath, death, death spiritual as well as physical, these are the dangers which lie in wait; and the enemies which have laid their grip upon us. And from these, as the shepherd drags the kid from the claws of the lion or the bear’s hug, the salvation of the Gospel wrenches and rescues men.”
Paul now moves on to declare to these Ephesians and to us today that this grace/charis comes “through faith” to us. The English word through is translated by the Greek word dia which is a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act. The English word faith is translated by the Greek word pistis meaning reliance upon Christ for salvation. In other words, faith in Jesus Christ including His death, burial, and bodily resurrection from the dead as wells as His Person being born of a virgin, being sinless, being 100% God and 100% Man is the channel or the conveyor belt of receiving grace/charis that saves. Now we enter into the cause for controversy or confusion on the part of many of our Lord Jesus’ sons and daughters of every time including this present time period. Paul now goes on to use the English word “that” which is translated by the Greek word touto which is neuter, nomitive, accusative, or singular meaning that thing. Because the word neuter means to refer to an inanimate object and the word singular means a single item or unit, then that/touto refers to the entire preceding clause or expression including a subject and predicate that does not form or compose a complete sentence, “For by grace are ye saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8).
In other words, no sinner has anything to do with the grace/charis or the channel faith/pistis, that thing or touto is all from God (His free gift) to these Ephesians and to us today, as Paul so eloquently declared to the Roman believers with these words, “But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:21-24). Paul declares that this salvation from God to these Ephesians and to us today is totally and without any argument on anyone’s part stemming from or growing out of, or having root in, or originating in anything inherently good (of moral virtue or value) in us by our human effort to be accepted, approved, or adored by God but only in the lifting up of the Son of Man and He will draw all men unto Him as our Lord Jesus said with these words, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” (John 12:32).
My own Personal Note: John 10:10 (AMP): “The thief (the devil) comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I (Christ) came that they may have and enjoy life (God’s life transmitted in us), and have it in abundance (to the full, until it overflows).” Christ came to bestow mercy not to denounce judgment upon us. He came to save poor lost wandering sinners. That is exactly the description of Clifford D. Tate, Sr. and you, my friend, before Jesus delivers us. Christ came to restore us to the favor of God and the life of God, to raise us up and bring us out of our degradation. Excerpt from my Book entitled, “Silent Assassins of the Soul: Finding Freedom from Sexual Impurity through the Lord Jesus Christ, A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs”
“Trust; that is the condition. The salvation rises from the heart of God. You cannot touch the stream at its source, but you can tap it away down in its flow. What do you want machinery and pumps for? Put a yard of wooden pipe into the river, and your house will have all the water it needs. So, dear brethren, here is the condition-it is a condition only, for there is no virtue in the act of trust, but only in that with which we are brought into living union when we do trust. When salvation comes, into my heart by faith it is not my faith but God’s grace that puts salvation there. Faith is only the condition, ay! but it is the indispensable condition. How many ways are there of getting possession of a gift? One only, I should suppose, and that is, to put out a hand and take it. If salvation is by grace it must be ‘through faith.’ If you will not accept you cannot have. That is the plain meaning of what theologians call justification by faith; that pardon is given on condition of taking it. If you do not take it you cannot have it. And so this is the upshot of the whole-trust, and you have. Oh, dear friends! open your eyes to see your dangers. Let your conscience tell you of your sickness. Do not try to deliver, or to heal yourselves. Self-reliance and self-help are very good things, but they leave their limitations, and they have no place here. ‘Every man his own Redeemer’ will not work. You can no more extricate yourself from the toils of sin than a man can release himself from the folds of a python. You can no more climb to heaven by your own effort than you can build a railway to the moon. You must ‘sue in forma pauperis’, and be content to accept as a boon an unmerited place in your Father’s heart, an undeserved seat at His bountiful table, an unearned share in His wealth, from the hands of your Elder Brother, in whom is all His grace, and who gives salvation to every sinner if he will trust Him. ‘By grace have ye been saved through faith.’” Alexander MacLaren
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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