What’s past is prologue
Salvation is not something earned by works, but rather received as a free gift through God’s grace. This idea is rooted in their reading of Ephesians 2:8-9, where Paul says salvation comes through grace, not by works, so that no one can boast. Some of the early so-called “Church Fathers” sometimes echo Paul’s words here, but they often stress repentance, baptism, and obedience together with faith. And rarely isolate “faith apart from works” in the way later proponents tend to do.
For example, Augustine (4th–5th century) strongly emphasized grace over works in his debates against Pelagius, and often quoted Paul in Ephesians 2. Later, Martin Luther (16th century Reformation) emphasized this view much more starkly than Augustine, and through him it became widely known in Protestantism. Luther made Ephesians 2:8–9 a central proof-text in his doctrine of sola gratia (grace alone).
So, while this salvation is not earned but free view contains some biblical truths it can be misleading and therefore, dangerous to your overall salvation plan.
Definition of terms
In order to understand what Paul meant in Eph 2:8-9 we need to ask what is meant by “faith” and “works.” In Rom 3.22 Paul writes that we are made right in the sight of God through faith in Jesus or by the faith of Jesus. Then in Rom 10:17 Paul defines faith as hearing the word or the message of Christ, i.e., the gospel Jesus preached. For that answer you must go back to the first words that kickstarted the ministry of Jesus, Mar 1.14-15. In Luke 4:43 Jesus says this was the reason why he was sent/commissioned by God in the first place. And this is supposed to be the purpose statement for the church, aka the Great Commission command by Jesus in Mat 28:19-20.
When it comes to “works” we also know that many times Paul uses this as a reference to “the works of the Law,” i.e., the Law of Moses. For Paul no one will be made right by things like circumcision of the flesh (Gal 5), food laws or the Jewish calendar (Col 2). As a result, Paul repeatedly contrasts “the works of the Law,” i.e., of Moses with “the faith of Jesus“:
- See Galatians (2:16; 2:21; 3:2, 5, 10–12, 24–26) Paul’s Law vs. faith examples.
- Romans (3:20–22, 27–28; 4:1–6; 9:30–32; 10:3–4) being made right apart from Law of Moses, by faith.
- And Philippians 3:9 Paul’s personal testimony of why he came to reject being made right by the OC Law for his newfound faith in Messiah.
When we turn back to Ephesians 2 we’re supposed to understand that no Christian can be made right by the works of that Old Covenant Law of Moses. As Paul goes on to say in the very next verse!
Eph 2:10 For we are His handiwork, created in Messiah Jesus for good works“!
A Salvation Issue
The dangers of the millennia old Augustinian-Protestant view are many.
First, it overlooks the importance of repentance, which involves changing your actions, as seen in Zacchaeus’ story (Luke 19), where his transformation led to salvation.
Second, it also ignores Jesus’ warning in Matthew 7:21-23 that merely claiming to follow Him without obeying His teachings isn’t enough.
Lastly, in Rom 4:3 Paul asks:
What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as making him right.”
James 2 summarizes this nicely when he explains that the faith of Abraham, along with his works, made his faith complete. In other words, it’s not either/or but both/and. So like Paul and the father of the faith himself Abraham, we are to be faithful workmen of God. As a result, Jesus “became to all of those who obey him the source of the salvation of the age to come,” Hebrews 5:9.
