Since the focus of my quest is to figure out what 'good works' are, I just want to quickly tie up what they aren't (in other words there is a LOOOOOOOT more to learn, study, and meditate on about grace than what I am typing here).
So, yesterday, I typed out the strong's definition of grace that I felt like Paul was alluding to with his use of the word 'grace' in verses 5.7, & 8. Today I want to type out those verses in several translations.
Ephesians 2:5, really begins in verse 4, so Ephesians 2:4,5 reads :
NIV But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.
NLT But God is so rich in mercy, and He loves us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)
NASB But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, (by grace you have been saved)
So clearly, really as clear as can be, Paul is stating a fundamental truth, salvation is not to be earned, it is freely given by grace. It is by God's goodwill - His loving-kindness, His favor, His merciful kindness that we are saved. It is by God exerting His holy influence upon our souls, turning them to Christ - in this way, He doesn't just save us, but keeps us, strengthens us, increases us in Christian faith, in Christian knowledge, in Christian affection, and kindles us to exercise the Christian virtues. (used the strong's definition here).
We did nothing to merit salvation, we did nothing to earn it. Really, how can you earn something when you are stone-cold dead in your sins? You can't.*see Ephesians chapter 2 in its entirety, Romans 5:8, Colossians 2:13, Titus 3:5.
OK - now for verses 6 through 9
NIV And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. (emphasis mine)
NLT For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So, God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness towards us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift of God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (emphasis mine)
NASB and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (emphasis mine)
So 'good works' are NOT to earn salvation. They are NOT something we do apart from God, after all, He had to save us - literally, revive our hearts back to life and enflesh them again - Ezekiel 11:19, 36:26, Jeremiah 31:33, 2 Corinthians 5:17. Salvation did not, nor does it ever, begin with me. Think of it this way, when someone goes into cardiac arrest, a nurse, doctor, EMT, or someone who knows how to do CPR - THEY initiate the life-saving measures. Or someone who is choking, or drowning...in those moments you can do nothing for yourself, you can't perform the necessary life-saving measures. Being dead in your sins is the same way, you can't do 'good works' to fix it, a dead person cannot save themselves.
OK tomorrow is Christmas Eve, so I am not sure if I will post or not, but I am excited about all that I am learning.
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