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Grace, Faith, and Works

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Grace, Faith, And Works

A Biblical Exegesis Of Ephesians 2:8–10

“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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:8–10

I. Introduction: Why This Study Matters Now More Than Ever

In a religious world increasingly divided by theological confusion and denominational doctrines, few passages are more quoted yet more misunderstood than Ephesians 2:8–10:

“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.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

While this passage declares foundational truths about salvation, it has been misappropriated by proponents of “Grace Only,” “Faith Only,” and “No Works” doctrines—convenient teachings that strip biblical salvation of its God-ordained conditions. These distortions have led millions to believe they are saved while unknowingly rejecting the full counsel of God (Acts 20:27). This study seeks to provide an unshakable, Bible-only exegesis of the subject, rightly dividing the Word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15), and to rebuke all false doctrines with spiritual boldness.

II. Historical Context: The Rise of “Faith Only” and “Grace Alone” Theology

The doctrine of “Faith Only” salvation can be traced back to Martin Luther in the 16th century. Reacting against the corruption of Roman Catholicism—particularly indulgences—Luther emphasized sola fide (faith alone) as the sole means of justification. However, Luther’s influence led to the removal of the epistle of James from his preferred canon, dismissing it as “an epistle of straw” because it contradicted his views (see “Luther's Works,” Vol. 35, Word and Sacrament I). This set a trajectory for Protestant denominations to embrace truncated versions of the gospel.

Similarly, “Grace Alone” (sola gratia) was championed to emphasize divine initiative in salvation—but at the expense of man’s divinely ordained response. This resulted in unbiblical doctrines like “Once Saved Always Saved” (OSAS) and the Sinner’s Prayer, none of which are found in the New Testament.

III. Biblical Context and Exegesis of Ephesians 2:8–10

1. “For by grace are ye saved through faith…”

  • Greek parsing:
    • χάριτί (chariti) – Dative singular of charis, meaning grace, favor, unmerited kindness.
    • πίστεως (pisteōs) – Genitive singular of pistis, meaning faith, conviction, trust.
    • These are instrumental and possessive in construction: grace is the means, faith is the channel.

Grace is God’s part—His initiative, His plan, and His provision of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24–26). Faith is man’s response—obedient trust (Rom. 1:5; Heb. 11:6). Not passive mental assent, but active belief that results in obedient works (Heb. 11:7–8; James 2:21–24).

2. “And that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”

  • The phrase “that not of yourselves” refers to salvation as a whole—not just faith or grace. Salvation is not self-earned, self-designed, or self-initiated.
  • Romans 6:23 declares, “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” God authored the gift, but He also sets the terms by which it is received.

3. “Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

  • This does not negate all works, but only boastful, meritorious works—those that would give man credit instead of God.
  • Paul himself distinguishes between:
    • Works of the Law (Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16) – legalistic, ritualistic deeds of the Mosaic Law, no longer binding.
    • Works of merit (Titus 3:5) – good deeds done with the mindset of earning salvation.
    • Works of obedience – conditions ordained by God (Acts 10:34–35; John 6:28–29).

4. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works…”

  • This demolishes the “No Works” theory. We are recreated unto (ἐπί – epi) good works—not saved by works, but unto or for the purpose of doing them.
  • God ordained that the saved walk in good works (cf. Titus 2:14; Matt. 5:16).

IV. Full Scripture Cross-Referencing: Harmonizing the Bible’s Teaching

Doctrine

Scripture References

Grace as God’s Gift

Rom. 3:24; Titus 2:11; Eph. 2:8

Faith as Man’s Response

Heb. 11:6; Rom. 10:17; James 2:14–26

Obedience Required

Matt. 7:21; Heb. 5:9; Rom. 6:17

Baptism’s Role

Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pet. 3:21

Not Saved by Law of Moses

Gal. 3:11; Col. 2:14

Good Works Ordained

Titus 3:8; Eph. 2:10; James 1:22

V. Doctrinal Significance: Salvation Is Conditional Yet Unmerited

  • Grace initiates and enables salvation (Rom. 5:8).
  • Faith is the proper human response to God’s grace (John 3:16; Rom. 5:1).
  • Obedient works—including repentance, confession, baptism, and continued faithfulness—are not optional (Luke 13:3; Rom. 10:10; Acts 2:38; Rev. 2:10).

These are not “meritorious works” that put God in our debt. They are the conditions God Himself set. Failure to meet them is disobedience, not a lack of “faith.”

VI. Complete Refutation of False Doctrines

“Grace Alone”

  • Refuted by Titus 2:11–12: “The grace of God... teaching us...” Grace demands action, not passivity.
  • Also refuted by Jude 4, where turning grace into license is condemned.

“Faith Alone”

  • Explicitly refuted by James 2:24:

“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”

  • Abraham believed (Gen. 15:6), but was not justified until he obeyed (Gen. 22; Heb. 11:17).

“No Works” Required

  • Refuted by Ephesians 2:10; Titus 3:8.
  • Also by 1 John 2:3–4: “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar.”

“Sinner’s Prayer” Salvation

  • Never found in Scripture. Not once does any apostle tell a sinner to pray for salvation.
  • In Acts 2, the people asked, “What shall we do?” Peter didn’t say “Just believe.” He said,

“Repent, and be baptized every one of you...” (Acts 2:38).

VII. Conclusion: Choose the Truth Over Tradition

Ephesians 2:8–10 does not support “Grace Only” or “Faith Only” salvation. Instead, it teaches a divinely balanced truth:
We are saved by grace, through faith, unto good works.

“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb. 5:9).

If you believe you are saved without obedience, baptism, or continued faithfulness, then you believe a lie. No apostle ever taught such a thing.

The truth is before you. Will you choose the doctrines of men or the Word of God?

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21)

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#GraceFaithWorks #SalvationByFaithAndObedience #BiblicalGraceNotAlone #FaithWithoutWorksIsDead #DoktrinaNgKaligtasan #BiyayaPananampalatayaGawa #Efeso2 #MgaGawaNgPagsunod #WalangKaligtasanSaPananampalatayaLamang #KatotohananSaBiblia

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Biyaya, Pananampalataya, At Mga Gawa

Isang Pagsusuri sa Teksto ng Efeso 2:8–10

“Sapagka't sa biyaya kayo'y nangaligtas sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya; at ito'y hindi sa inyong sarili, ito'y kaloob ng Dios; Hindi sa pamamagitan ng mga gawa, upang ang sinoman ay huwag magmapuri. Sapagka't tayo'y kaniyang gawa, na nilalang kay Cristo Jesus para sa mabubuting gawa, na mga inihanda ng Dios nang una upang siya nating lakaran.” – Efeso 2:8–10

I. Panimula: Bakit Napapanahon ang Araling Ito Ngayon

Sa gitna ng magulong daigdig ng mga espiritwal na pananampalataya na hati-hati dahil sa magkakaibang doktrina at denominasyunal na paniniwala, isa sa mga pinakakilala ngunit madalas na maling naipapaliwanag na talata ay ang Efeso 2:8–10:

“Sapagka't sa biyaya kayo'y nangaligtas sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya; at ito'y hindi sa inyong sarili, ito'y kaloob ng Dios; Hindi sa pamamagitan ng mga gawa, upang ang sinoman ay huwag magmapuri. Sapagka't tayo'y kaniyang gawa, na nilalang kay Cristo Jesus para sa mabubuting gawa, na mga inihanda ng Dios nang una upang siya nating lakaran.”

Bagaman ipinapahayag ng talatang ito ang mga saligan ng kaligtasan, ito ay inabuso ng mga tagapagtaguyod ng doktrinang “Grace Only,” “Faith Only,” at “No Works”. Ang mga doktrinang ito, bagama’t may anyong maka-Diyos, ay lumilihis sa buong kapahayagan ng katotohanan (Gawa 20:27) at nagdudulot ng mapanlinlang na akala hinggil sa kaligtasan. Ang pag-aaral na ito ay layuning ilatag ang hindi matitinag na aral ayon lamang sa Biblia, at itakwil ng buong tapang ang lahat ng maling aral.

II. Konteksto Ayon Sa Kasaysayang: Pinagmulan ng “Faith Only” at “Grace Alone”

Ang doktrinang “Faith Only” ay umusbong sa repormasyon sa ilalim ni Martin Luther noong ika-16 siglo. Bilang tugon sa katiwalian ng Simbahang Katoliko (tulad ng indulhensiya), binigyang-diin ni Luther ang sola fide (pananampalataya lamang). Ngunit dahil dito, kanyang tinanggihan ang Aklat ni Santiago, na kanyang tinawag na “epistle of straw”, sapagkat sinasalungat nito ang kaniyang pananaw (tingnan: Luther's Works, Vol. 35).

Ang “Grace Alone” naman (sola gratia) ay pinalaganap din, ngunit kalakip ng ideya na walang kailangang tugon mula sa tao, na naging daan sa maling katuruang Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) at panalangin ng makasalanan, mga bagay na wala sa Bagong Tipan.

III. Kontekstong Biblikal at Pagsusuri sa Efeso 2:8–10

1. “Sapagka't sa biyaya kayo'y nangaligtas sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya...”

  • Parsing sa Griyego:
    • χάριτί (chariti) – biyaya, kagandahang-loob; walang bayad.
    • πίστεως (pisteōs) – pananampalataya; pananalig na may pagtitiwala at pagsunod.
  • Ipinapakita ng Griyego na ang biyaya ang dahilan, at pananampalataya ang tugon na hakbang.

Ang biyaya ay sa bahagi ng Diyos—ito’y Kanyang inisyatiba, plano at handog.
Ang pananampalataya ay sa bahagi ng tao—ito’y kanyang tamang tugon, hindi lamang paniniwala kundi matalimahing pananalig (Heb. 11:6; Roma 1:5).

2. “At ito'y hindi sa inyong sarili, ito'y kaloob ng Dios.”

Ang “ito’y hindi sa inyong sarili” ay tumutukoy sa buong proseso ng kaligtasan—hindi ito sariling gawa o likha ng tao.

“Sapagka't ang kaloob ng Dios ay buhay na walang hanggan sa pamamagitan ni Cristo Jesus na Panginoon natin.” (Roma 6:23)

Ngunit ang kaloob ay kailangang tanggapin sa paraang itinalaga ng Diyos.

3. “Hindi sa pamamagitan ng mga gawa, upang ang sinoman ay huwag magmapuri.”

  • Hindi nito nilalahat ng mga gawa, kundi ang mga gawang mapagmalaki lamang, gaya ng:
    • Gawa ng Kautusan ni Moises (Roma 3:20; Gal. 2:16)
    • Gawang may sariling merito (Tito 3:5)

Higit sa lahat, hindi nito tinitukoy ang matalimahing mga gawa na iniuutos ng Diyos.

4. “Sapagka't tayo rin ang kaniyang gawa, na nilalang kay Cristo Jesus para sa mabubuting gawa...”

Ito ang tuluyang sumira sa doktrinang “No Works.”
Ang mga iniligtas ay nilalang para sa mabubuting gawa—hindi upang umiwas dito, kundi upang lakaran ito (Tito 2:14; Mateo 5:16).

IV. Buong Pagtutumbas ng Kasulatan: Pagkakasundo ng mga Aral ng Biblia

Doktrina

Mga Talatang Sanggunian

Biyaya bilang Kaloob ng Diyos

Roma 3:24; Tito 2:11; Efeso 2:8

Pananampalataya bilang Tugon

Heb. 11:6; Roma 10:17; Santiago 2:14–26

Kailangan ang Pagsunod

Mateo 7:21; Heb. 5:9; Roma 6:17

Papel ng Binyag

Gawa 2:38; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pedro 3:21

Hindi sa pamamagitan ng Kautusan ni Moises

Gal. 3:11; Col. 2:14

Mabubuting Gawang Inihanda ng Diyos

Tito 3:8; Efeso 2:10; Santiago 1:22

V. Makabuluhang Doktrinal: Kaligtasang May Kondisyon Ngunit Hindi Ipinagmamapuri

  • Biyaya ang nag-uumpisa at nagbibigay-daan sa kaligtasan (Roma 5:8).
  • Pananampalataya ang tugon ng tao (Juan 3:16; Roma 5:1).
  • Pagtalima—kabilang na ang pagsisisi, pagpapahayag, bautismo, at katapatan—ay hindi opsyonal (Lucas 13:3; Roma 10:10; Gawa 2:38; Apoc. 2:10).

Ang mga ito ay hindi “gawang nagpaparangal sa sarili,” kundi kondisyong iniutos ng Diyos.

VI. Pagbuwag sa Maling Aral

“Grace Only”

“Sapagka't napakita ang biyaya ng Dios, na may dalang kaligtasan sa lahat ng mga tao, Na nagtuturo sa atin…” (Tito 2:11–12)
Ang biyaya ay nagtuturo ng pagsunod, hindi patay na pananampalataya.

“Faith Only”

“Nakikita ninyo na sa pamamagitan ng mga gawa ay inaaring-ganap ang tao, at hindi sa pananampalataya lamang.” (Santiago 2:24)
Ang pananampalataya ni Abraham ay naging ganap sa gawa (Santiago 2:21–22).

“No Works”

Hindi mapaninindigan sa liwanag ng Efeso 2:10, Tito 3:8, at 1 Juan 2:3–4.

“Sinner’s Prayer”

Wala sa Biblia. Sa Gawa 2, hindi panalangin ang sagot kundi:

“Magsisi kayo, at mangagbautismo ang bawa't isa sa inyo…” (Gawa 2:38)

VII. Konklusyon: Piliin ang Katotohanan Laban sa Tradisyon ng Tao

Ang Efeso 2:8–10 ay hindi nagtuturo ng “Grace Only” o “Faith Only”. Bagkus, ito ay nagtuturo ng kaligtasan sa biyaya, sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya, patungo sa mabubuting gawa.

“At nang siya'y magpakasakdal, siya'y ginawang puno ng walang hanggang kaligtasan sa lahat ng mga nagsisitalima sa kaniya.” (Heb. 5:9)

Kung naniniwala kang ikaw ay ligtas nang walang gawang pagtalima, walang bautismo, o hindi tapat sa pananampalataya, ikaw ay nalilinlang.

Ang katotohanan ay hayag na.
Pipiliin mo ba ito? O mananatili sa doktrinang gawa ng tao?

“Hindi ang bawa't nagsasabi sa akin, Panginoon, Panginoon, ay papasok sa kaharian ng langit; kundi ang gumaganap ng kalooban ng aking Ama.” (Mateo 7:21)

Maaaring ibahagi, i-print, ipangaral, o i-repost ang mga artikulo dito kung hindi ito babaguhin, panananatilihin ang tema ng layunin, hindi ipagbibili o gagamitin para kumita, at may malinaw na link pabalik sa blog na ito.

#PananampalatayaAtGawa #KaloobNgDiyos #PananampalatayaSaDiyos #KristiyanongPamumuhay #KaligtasanSaPananampalataya #PananampalatayaNaMayGawa #MgaTuroNgBibliya

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