Eph 2:8-9 (NET) For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast.
“Pastor SD Abraham, could you please help me understand Ephesians 8:9 in the context of your recent devotional about ‘THE TRUE FAITH’? It seems to state that our salvation isn’t earned through our actions. So, why do you emphasize that faith must result in actions?”
When you continue reading after the verse you mentioned, Ephesians 2:10 explains that we’ve been designed in Christ Jesus for good deeds.
It’s important to clarify that the works that come from your faith aren’t lifeless actions driven by rules and regulations. Let’s be straightforward: there’s no ‘good’ deed that can buy your salvation. Goodness is intrinsically tied to God (Jesus emphasized this in Matthew 19:17), and God doesn’t collaborate with you for His good works without faith in your heart.
Remember, the sole way we attain salvation is through faith in Christ Jesus. What Apostle James highlights in James 2 is that if this faith is alive, it naturally leads to actions as evidence of its vitality.
Therefore, we can distinguish between two types of works: THE WORKS OF THE FLESH (as mentioned in Ephesians 8:9) and THE GOOD WORKS OF FAITH (as referred to in Ephesians 8:10 and James 2:14).
If your faith doesn’t inspire any good deeds, it’s dead, because any living faith brings forth good works. God has summoned and equipped us to bear fruit, which we can identify as the good works that stem from faith.
Remember this throughout today: Just like a branch connected to a vine effortlessly yields fruit, you needn’t struggle to produce good deeds if your faith is alive.
Confession: My faith is vibrant, and it naturally leads to good works in my life. Amen.
—Abraham Damilola Arigi
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Bible In 1 Year: John 13-15 (In today’s audio)
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