Interesting Questions-80

Saved through faith ONLY...  and not of works?
(Ephesians 2:8-9)

Letter to the Editor:
PASUGO, October 2002, p.2

IF BY GRACE man is saved "through faith" and "not of works," as Apostle Paul stated in Ephesians 2:8-9, then why does man still need to become a member of the Church of Christ in order for him to be saved?  Doesn't a person  need only to have faith?

Manuel Tolentino
Makati City, Philippines

Editor's reply:

     The following is written in Ephesians 2:8-9:

     “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (New King James Version)

     Please take note that Apostle Paul did not say, “by grace you have been saved through faith ONLY.” To conclude that man can be saved by just having faith grossly contradicts the teachings of the Bible. As a proof, Apostle James taught, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (Js. 2:24, NKJV). Clearly, man needs to couple the true faith with works in order for him to receive salvation.

     In Ephesians 2:8-9, Apostle Paul indicated that there are works or deeds that can bring about one’s salvation. In another translation of this verse, the works that Apostle Paul was referring to are those resulted solely from one’s efforts (Eph. 2:8-9, Today’s English Version). In other words, these are the works that are done according to man’s will or the “good deeds of our own” (Titus 3:5, Revised English Bible).

     On the other hand, the works that are truly good, according to Apostle Paul, are those that are based on God’s will, for He Himself “prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10, NKJV). From the very beginning, God willed” to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head” (Eph. 1:9-10, TEV). In order for man to fulfill God’s will or carry out this good work, man must belong to that which has Christ as its head, and this is none other than the Church that is the body of Christ (Eph. 5:22-23, NIV).

     According to Acts 20:28 Lamsa, the Church that belongs to Christ is the Church of Christ, which He purchased or redeemed with His blood. Because Christ redeemed His Church, its members have been justified and by the grace of God are assured of salvation (Rom. 3:24; 5:8-9, NKJV).

     Therefore, having faith is not enough in order for man to be saved; man must couple his faith with works in accordance to God’s will, and one of these is to join the Church established by our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

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