Four Facts About Grace And Works

Ephesians 2:8-10

Be certain that you understand the teaching of Holy Scripture regarding the matter of grace and works. There is no reason for confusion here. The Word of God is crystal clear.

1. We are saved by grace alone, without the works of the law (Rom. 3:20, 28; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:9). Our standing before and acceptance with God is entirely in Christ, and in Christ alone. We are “accepted in the Beloved.” God almighty accepts us only in Christ and only for Christ’s sake, upon the basis and merit of Christ’s righteousness and shed blood. Our salvation is altogether in Christ and by Christ, the God-man Mediator, our Substitute. Neither our righteousness nor our sins have any affect upon our relationship with God (Rom. 5:18-21). Our acceptance with God in Christ is an eternal, immutable, indissolveable acceptance. It never varies!

I have said this to you so many times that I hesitate to repeat it; but it needs to be understood. My relationship with the eternal God does in great measure determine what I do. But what I do does not in any way, or to any degree determine my relationship with God.

2. All who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are completely free from the law in him. As Paul states it, this freedom from the law does not promote sin and licentiousness, but just the opposite. Freedom from the law promotes godliness and devotion (Rom. 6:14-15; 7:1, 4; 8:1-4; 10:4). We are free from the law’s curse and condemnation, free from the law’s rituals and ceremonies, and free from the law’s rule. Our lives are not motivated, ruled, and governed by the law of Moses.

And our lives are not subject to the laws, rituals, customs, and traditions of human religion. I will, by the grace of God, defend to my death the liberty of every believer to live in this world, being ruled only by his own conscience and his love for Christ in all matters of indifference. We will not be, and must not be subject to the rules of religion that self-righteous men seek to impose upon us.

3. Yet, any professed believer who lives in wilful violation of and in rebellion to the law of God and the Word of God is lost. His profession of faith is a false profession. His religion is nothing more than a pretentious show of hypocrisy. It is not even a delusion, except as it is a wilful delusion. It is utter hypocrisy!

4. The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the law for us; and the law is fulfilled by us only as we trust Christ alone for all righteousness before God (Rom. 3:31; 8:4). We do not fulfil the law by our works, but by our faith. Trusting Christ alone, walking in the Spirit, we offer God what God requires - PERFECTION! It is not possible to fulfil the law of God in any other way. Those who yet strive to live by the law walk after the flesh, not after the Spirit. Being carnally minded, they are yet dead, for “the carnal mind is enmity against God.” This is Paul’s doctrine in Romans 8:4-9.

Don Fortner