Today’s offering is a “Tract from the Past.” This one is called “Salvation by Grace” and is written by Eugene Smith. Mr. Smith was a proficient writer during his life, authoring several tracts. We hope you enjoy it!
Of all the great doctrines of the Bible, none is more capable of arousÂing the appreciation of man than the idea suggested by the words of the apostle Paul in Eph. 2:8, 9, where he says, âfor by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourÂselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory.â In this statement the kindness and love of God is revealed to such extent that we should be eternally grateful to God and in our appreciation should humbly subÂmit to His will in all things.
Christ, of course, is the manifestaÂtion of the grace of God. In him the love of God is shown as he was presentÂed as the perfect sacrifice for sin. This sacrifice was ânot by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercyâ (Tit. 3:5). Nothing good that we had done was or could be sufficient to merit the sacriÂfice of Christ upon the cross. This was the unmerited favor of God to lost and dying man. This was âthe kindness of God our Saviour, and His love toward manâ (Tit. 3:4), that appeared for our redemption from a curse which was too great for us to lift.
This grace of God was not bestowed on âthe fewâ but rather on âthe many.â Paul said in Tit. 2:11, âFor the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvaÂtion to all men.â All were in need of a Saviour and when God gave His Son He made him a âpropitiation for our sins; and not for ours only but also for the whole worldâ (I John 2:2). When we look upon Jesus today we behold the one whom God âcrowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every manâ (Heb. 2:9).
Therefore by the unmerited maniÂfestation of the goodness and kindness of God our love for him is born and kept alive. John said, âWe love, because he first loved usâ (I John 4:19). The great love of God which was manifest to the world in the death of Christ is enough to ever keep us humble and grateful before the throne of God for the great gift was made while we were yet sinners and was therefore strictly by the grace and love of God. Paul said of this in Rom. 5:8, âGod commendeth His own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.â Enough has been said, therefore, to cause us to realize that it is by grace we are saved.
An Oft-Made Mistake
However, in thinking of the doctrine of Salvation by Grace there is a misÂtake often made that leads to the wrong conclusion. Some have supposed that the fact that salvation is by grace has precluded and excluded all reÂsponse on our part. Some have argued that since it is by âgraceâ there is nothing we can do in any way in the matter of our salvation. These arguÂments are usually summed up under three headings which are erroneously based on the text of Eph. 2:8. They are: (1) Salvation being of grace there is nothing we can do toward that salvaÂtion; (2) It being the gift of God there is nothing we can do to receive it; and (3) It being ânot of worksâ we are exÂcluded from doing anything whatsoÂever to receive it. Believing the above thoughts to be entirely wrong and based upon a mistaken understanding of the text we want to examine them very carefully in the light of Godâs word.
Does Grace Exclude Obedience?
Some have supposed that grace exÂcludes obedience to the commandments of God but this cannot be for it would make of Godâs word a mass of contraÂdictions and we know this is not so. Christ said, âNot every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heavenâ (Matt. 7:21). Christ in this verse and in the illustration of the two builders (Matt. 7:24-27), which folÂlows, makes clear to all that obedience to Godâs will is an essential pre-requiÂsite of salvation.
The apostle Paul, in speaking along this line, has very clearly said, âHe (Christ) became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvaÂtionâ (Heb. 5:9). Peter said, âSeeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truthâ (I Pet. 1:22) and the beloved John said âThis is the love of God that we keep his commandÂmentsâ (I John 5:3). Therefore it is impossible to suppose that grace exÂcludes obedience. Nay, rather grace deÂmands obedience for in view of the wonderful manifestation of the love of God we should gladly humble our hearts before Him and do His will, obeying His commandments which are given to us in His word. Any course other than this would be contrary to the scriptures and to common sense. We must obey God, obey the truth, or keep His commandments for thus we show our love for Him.
Does A Gift Exclude Obedience?
Some have likewise supposed that since salvation is a gift we can do nothing to receive it. Now to say we can do nothing to merit it is one thing and to say that we can do nothing to receive it is quite another thing. I realize that nothing we can do will ever give us merit enough to make God owe us salvation as a debt He must pay. It is not in this respect that we speak of our obedience. It is not that we are to do a thing or things to merit salvaÂtion but we must, according to the word of God, do certain things that we may receive salvation.
Christ says, âHe that believeth and is baptized shall be savedâ (Mark 16:16). If we are to receive the âgift of Godâ we must then âbelieve and be baptized.â Some will accept the idea that we must believe but will reject the companion thought that we must be baptized. These two, belief and bapÂtism, are joined together by the conÂjunction âand.â One of the elementary rules of the English language is that this conjunction joins words or phrases of equal rank or importance. Therefore when it is used to join belief and bapÂtism it makes them of equal importÂance.
The gift of salvation from Christ is held forth to man and he says it will be bestowed upon the man who âbeÂlieveth and is baptized.â If anyone anÂswers that to believe and be baptized is to make it no longer a gift he is surely mistaken about that for the BiÂble cannot be a book of contradictions. But think one moment about this. If I were to say to you, âWrite me a letter and I will give you a book,â you could understand the meaning of my words. If you then wrote me the letter would that in any way show that you had earned the book. No, for when you had complied with my request the book would still be received as a gift and not something you had earned.
A Bible Illustration
To illustrate the fact that one can obey the commands of God and still reÂceive his blessings as a gift we turn to the sixth chapter of Joshua to study the illustration set forth. These things âhappened unto them by way of exÂample; and they were written for our admonitionâ (I Cor. 10:11). They are given that in them we may see and learn Godâs way of dealing with the sons of men in the earth. Paul tells us this again in Rom. 15:4, where he says, âFor whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learnÂing.â Therefore we can, by studying the examples of Israel in the Old TestaÂment, learn of Godâs dealing with man even today. Not that the Old TestaÂment is to be considered our law but the examples thereof are valuable to us as warnings.
âNow Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came inâ (Josh. 6: 1). This was the condition of the city as the children of Israel under Joshuaâs leadership encamped before the city. Then in verse 2 God talks with Joshua in the following words, âSee, I have given into thy hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor.â The city of Jericho was a gift of God to Joshua and the children of Israel.
However God did not end His speakÂing with His statement that He would give them the city. He went on to say, âAnd Ye shall compass the city, all the men of war, going about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of ramsâ horns before the ark: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And it shall be, that, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before himâ (Josh. 6:3-6).
Now if Joshua had been like some people today he would have said âNot so Lord for if we do all that thou hast commanded we shall earn the city and it will not and cannot be a gift.â That is the way people sometimes talk toÂday when obedience to the commandÂments of God is emphasized by gospel preachers. People are wont to cry, âIf we do anything it cannot be a gift.â In this they make a serious mistake that will finally result in the condemnation of millions for failing to do the will of the Lord.
Joshua, however, being a man of faith, did not so speak. He immediately marshalled his forces as God had comÂmanded and began to fulfill those comÂmandments of Jehovah. All that the Lord had said was done in just the way that the Lord had said it should be done. When they came to the seventh day of their obedience we hear Joshua speaking again to the children of Israel as the priests blew the ramâs horn trumpet according to Godâs commandÂment. He said, âShout; for Jehovah hath given you the cityâ (Josh. 6:16). Therefore it must be forever settled and known that men can obey Godâs commandments and still receive the promised blessing as a âgift of God.â
More than this in our contemplation of Godâs gift to man we must rememÂber that Paul said it was âBy grace through Faithâ (Eph. 2:8). This is Godâs gift and it is received âthrough faith.â Now let us note another simiÂlarity between this gift of God and the one we have been studying in Joshua. We read in Hebrews 11:30, âBy faith the wall of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days.â Here then is a further confirmaÂtion of the necessity of our obedience of Godâs commandments if we are to be saved by grace.
The salvation by grace is through faith. The falls of Jericho fell down by faith. However they did not fall by faith till Godâs commandments were obeyed and therefore we do not receive the blessing of Godâs grace till our obedience to Godâs will of today is comÂplete. Then, and then only, can we reÂceive the blessing by faith. For until our obedience is rendered before God, our faith is dead and vain and can never bring the blessing of God.
Does Grace Exclude Works?
Now we come to the final objection of those who would reject obedience to God as having anything to do with our salvation. They cry âit is not of worksâ and thus would turn many away from doing the will of God. Let me say first of all that this limitation cannot be unÂderstood in an absolute sense, that is to say, prohibiting all works of any kind, for that would cause the apostle to contradict himself in the two verses with which we began this study.
Paul says of this salvation by grace that it is âthrough faithâ and then goes on to say it is ânot of works.â Now I know that he does not mean by this that all works are excluded for to do that would even exclude faith. The Christ himself hath said, âThis is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sentâ (John 6:29). God has commanded men to believe and Christ says this is a work that is comÂmanded of God; a work that men are to do. Therefore as salvation is âthrough faithâ we cannot exclude all works or we would thereby even exÂclude faith. This we know cannot be.
Moreover, we know that âworks of righteousnessâ are not excluded by Paulâs statement for we hear the aposÂtle Peter speaking to Cornelius and his household in the city of Caesarea and these were to be the first converts from among the gentiles. As he preached to them we hear him say, âOf a truth I perceive that God is no reÂspecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to himâ (Acts 10:34, 35). Therefore the âworks of righteousness, do have something to do with our being accepted of God. In Titus 3:5 as we have already noted they had nothing to do with God sendÂing His son but now that the grace of God has been manifested to the world in the son we are acceptable in the sight of God as we âwork righteousÂness.â
Working righteousness is obeying the commandments of God for the comÂmandments of God are His righteousÂness. We read this in Psa. 119:172, where David says, âAll thy commandÂments are righteousness.â Therefore it is evident that to âwork righteousnessâ is to âwork Godâs commandments.â Therefore it is on the basis of our obedience to the commandments of God that we are acceptable in the sight of God and our obedience to Godâs comÂmandments is not the thing under conÂsideration by Paul when he said in Eph. 2:9, âNot of works.â
Moreover Christ has said that our âworks of righteousness,â that is our obedience to Godâs commandments, is nothing about which we can boast or glory. He says, âEven so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, we are unÂprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to doâ (Luke 17:10). In obeying Godâs commands and receiving His blessing we have nothÂing to boast about. The children of IsÂrael could not boast about their capture of Jericho. Godâs way was not the way that would create boasting on their part but rather a way that would inÂcrease their faith in and respect for Him.
Had the children of Israel captured the city by force of arms they might have later boasted about it; but taking it as they did they could never glory in it but must always give glory to God. Likewise in our obedience to Christâs commandments we can never glory for who could say that believing in the Christ, repenting of our sins, confessing our faith in Christ and beÂing baptized could ever be enough to âearnâ for us the glory of heaven. Nay, rather, it only emphasizes our dependÂence upon the mercy and grace of God. Therefore as we obey and when we have done all things commanded we are unprofitable and it is still by Godâs grace that we are saved. However it is evident that his grace does not exÂclude the “works of righteousnessâ which he has commanded us to do.
What then can be the meaning of Paulâs statement, ânot of works.â It is very simple, and as usual in Godâs word, we find it in the very sentence we are considering. Notice, please, that Paul says, ânot of works, that no man should gloryâ (Eph. 2:9). The King James version says âboast” instead of âgloryâ as we find it in the American Standard Version. This is the key of the entire matter, it is not of works that we can glory in or boast about. It is not by works that we earn salvation or place God in debt to us. This is the enÂtire meaning of the apostle’s words and when we thus consider the matter we can see that some works are exÂcluded but that the âworks of rightÂeousnessâ are not excluded but are the obedience of faith by which we are to receive the âgift of God.â Therefore it is important that we obey the comÂmandments of Jesus that he may be the author of eternal salvation to our souls as he is to all them that obey him (Heb. 5:8, 9).
The Ephesian Example
Now in conclusion we want to reÂmember that our text for this study was written to members of the church in Ephesus. These were said to be saved by âgrace through faithâ so if we can learn what they did and how they were saved it will be of great imÂportance to us in our study. Let us therefore turn our attention to the nineteenth chapter of Acts where we read of the establishment of this church and in this record learn of the conversion of the Ephesians.
âAnd it came to pass, that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciÂples: and he said unto them, Did ye reÂceive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was given. And he said, Into what then were ye baptized ? and they said, Into Johnâs baptism. And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is on Jesus. And when they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesusâ (Acts 19:1-5).
In this account we have the beginÂning of the church in Ephesus. These are the people to whom Paul wrote, âBy grace have ye been saved through faith.â Therefore it is evident that Paul’s conception of salvation by grace did not exclude obedience to Godâs commands. Nay, contrary to that, it so emphasized obedience to Christ that when he found these who had been one time baptized but with an improper faith he taught them the truth and they were baptized again. Therefore these were baptized twice, once wrong and once right, and still were saved by grace.
There are hundreds of thousands in this land of ours who are like those at Ephesus. They have been baptized but did not understand the true signifiÂcance and meaning of it at the time. Their baptism is invalid and they like the Ephesians should be baptized with the baptism commanded by Christ. That is they should be baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to receive the remission of their sins for this is the baptism commanded by the Lord and therefore the baptism in His name (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16: 15, 16).
There are other hundreds of thouÂsands who have never been baptized. These need to believe in Christ with all their hearts (Acts 8:36, 37), repent of their sins (Acts 17:30), confess their faith in the Christ (Rom. 10:10), and be baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3) unto the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38). Thus they would in their obediÂence to the commands of the Christ have him become the author of eternal salvation to their souls. Thus they would âwork righteousnessâ and beÂcome acceptable in the sight of God. Thus they would âby faithâ receive âthe gift of Godâ the salvation of their souls and as children of God âby faith in Christ Jesusâ rejoice in the sweet assurance of salvation by and through the grace of God for âas many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christâ (Gal. 3:27) and since âin Christâ the grace of God is made known and bestowed they would be saved âby grace through faith.â