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Boasting Is Excluded, But Working Is Not - Ephesians 2: 9
One last component of saving faith need not go unattended. This work would assert that it is exactly due to the lack of a comprehensive understanding of the doctrine of work that much error surrounding saving faith still exists. In verses nine and ten the Apostle says, “…not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Several points should be made here. First, Paul says that all that comes before hand is NOT the result of works (ἔργων). The construct here literally means “not proceeding from or moving out of labors or working.” Some in latter days have suggested that the process of salvation involves God’s granting of a cognizant recognition of one’s plight in sin that motivates the sinner to abandon his old way of life and embrace the truth of God with the result being God’s salvation of the sinner. This however, is by a biblical definition, a work (ἔργων). What has been described could just as easily be termed this way, “God hires a man to complete a job, tells him what He requires in that job, shows him what will happen to the man if he fails to complete the job and then pays the man for a job well done.” At the end of the proverbial day, it is simply a wage for completing what was required and this Paul says is simply not the case. Secondly, human nature drives one to feel a sense of pride for those things that are done well; that is, one is likely to boast either outwardly or at least inwardly about the thing accomplished. Paul says that because salvation is a gift from God, there is no room for boasting. His use of the construct “no one” (μή τις) employs the other New Testament term for “not;” μή. In this usage, μή supposes that one conceives of the reality as the natural possibility of the condition. In other words, Paul would naturally assume that those who had been saved by God’s grace would not boast because boasting over the thing done for the individual would be terribly out of place and very ungracious. Many today have missed this truth. The proliferation of works based salvation has produced several generations of individuals who boast that they are not only saved but that they are “more saved” than most of the others they encounter. Subsequently, this work asserts that much, if not all, of the “Second Baptism” movement has this singular error at its root with many proponents of charismatic belief demonstrating unbridled arrogance and boasting when it comes to their salvation and faith walk. The testimony of Scripture is undeniably clear at this point; salvation is granted by God for His own pleasure and does not involve any assistance at the point of regeneration. Consequently, the child of God has nothing that he can boast about other than the singular activity of God on his behalf. Paul however, takes the discussion even one step further. Thus far it has been highlighted that at the extremity of error those who would assert a synergistic salvation with God do so out of a self-centered pride that seeks to promote one’s own “prowess” in understanding the mysteries of God to the detriment of the third point; good works. It is no accident that Paul includes a brief discussion of “Christian works;” that is, the outward expression of salvation through tangible means. Paul does not have in view the favor gifts (χαρισμάτων) but rather the acts of Christian graciousness that are in keeping with the grace that every regenerated child of God has by necessity experienced. In short, what Paul is alluding to are the daily demonstrations of grace; that is activity bestowed on others out of a sense of favor, that are founded in the activity of God on the believer’s behalf. Failing to show this kind of graciousness should prompt concern as to whether one has truly experienced God’s grace in the first place. None-the-less, good works is what every believer was created for and good works are what have been prepared for the believer to live in. A survey of modern faith life unfortunately yields the transposition of the biblical picture of works and working. Instead of humble graciousness toward one’s fellow man because the sinner has been afforded grace unmerited, much arrogance, belligerence and boasting abound as to just how mature any given believer thinks he is. Instead of engaging in the works of the kingdom of God (whatever may be assigned) most shun the less glamorous tasks for the limelight of recognition leaving much of the work of Christ to be completed by those who care not for accolades. Then as those who would call themselves the “Body of Christ” pretend ignorance, the question invariably is asked as to why the modern church’s efforts seem to be so unproductive? It is simply because most want to highlight their input at the point of salvation and claim that this somehow fulfills their obligation in obedience. Rather, the Scripture calls all of God’s children to fulfill their assigned duty with diligence and humility as they strive to express the grace given them by God for no other reason than His good pleasure.
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