Ephesians 2:8-10 Principle

There is always a tension between being justified by God in Christ and sanctified to be like Christ by the transforming power of the Spirit. Such a tension doesn’t occur within the relationship of the three Godheads: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. It only occurs in Christian experience. Paul says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9, ESV). No good deeds can ever justify sinners like us before God. Rather, Christ alone, grace alone, and faith alone can save us from God’s holy wrath. Paul then continues to say, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (2:10, ESV). We are saved for good works. John Calvin rightfully notes, “Those whom God justifies, He also sanctifies.” In other words, we are saved for practical holiness.

Eph. 2:10 must be grounded in Eph. 2:8-9, not vice versa. This is the order of salvation. Once we reverse the order, we start to work for God’s salvation. We try to earn God’s favor apart from Christ’s finished work. We attempt to please God with human efforts. As a result, we nullify God’s grace in Christ Jesus (see Gal. 2:21). Practical holiness cannot save us. Rather, it only leads us to Him. In Him we find “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (Jn. 4:14).

J. C. Ryle notes:

Can holiness save us? Can holiness put away sin—cover iniquities—make satisfaction for transgressions—pay our debt to God? No: not a whit. God forbid that I should every say so. Holiness can do none of these things. The brightest saints are all “unprofitable servants.” Our purest works are no better than filthy rags, when tried by the light of God’s holy law. The white robe which Jesus offers, and faith puts on, must be our only righteousness—the name of Christ our holy confidence—the Lamb’s Book of Life our title to heaven. With all our holiness we are no better than sinners. Our best things are stained and tainted with imperfection. They are all more or less incomplete, wrong in the motive or defective in the performance. By the deeds of the law shall no child of Adam ever be justified.[1]

The order can never be reversed. It does not mean that they can be separated. Jesus says, “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance…Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Lk. 3:8-9, ESV). Either Jesus’ “bear fruits in keeping with repentance” or Paul’s “created in Christ Jesus for good works”, both command practical holiness in the life of the Christian experience. “For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thess. 4:2-3a, ESV).

[1] J. C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots (Peabody: Hendrickson, 2007), p. 50.

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