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Ephesians 2:8-9 · WEB
8for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9not of works, that no one would boast.
388 results found
Grace Shown in Community - Anabaptist (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Early Anabaptists challenged: if we're saved by grace, what does that look like? They pointed to the verses following: "created for good works." Grace saves; grace transforms; grace creates a new comm
Grace Against Meritocracy - Progressive (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Our culture worships meritocracy: you get what you earn, you deserve what you have. But Ephesians 2:8-9 subverts this idol: "Not by works, so that no one can boast." Grace undermines the myth that the
Luther's Rediscovery - Lutheran (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Luther tried works: fasting, confession, pilgrimage, self-punishment. Nothing brought peace. Then he understood: "By grace... through faith... NOT by works." He later said, "This one and firm rock, wh
The Dispensation of Grace - Dispensational (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Dispensationalists note: Ephesians 2:8-9 describes the current dispensation—the age of grace. Before the cross, salvation was anticipated through faith in coming redemption. Now salvation is received
The Universal Offer - Missional (Ephesians 2:8-9)
If salvation were by works, missionaries would only approach the moral. But grace changes the math: "not by works" means ANYONE can receive it. The addict in the slum and the respected elder are equal
Grace and Sacramental Life - Catholic (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Catholics affirm: salvation is by grace through faith. The Council of Trent declared that nothing we do PRECEDES grace or EARNS salvation. But grace then works IN us, producing good works as fruit. Th
Grace to the Non-Achievers - Liberation (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Not by works"—what good news for those the system has labeled unproductive! The unemployed, the disabled, the elderly, the sick cannot earn their worth through labor. Grace declares worth before achi
Amazing Grace for the Enslaved - Black Church (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Enslaved African Americans heard Ephesians 2:8-9 and understood something powerful: if salvation is by grace, not works, then the master had no spiritual advantage. The enslaver couldn't earn heaven b
The Doctrines of Grace - Reformed (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Ephesians 2:8-9 is bedrock Reformed theology. "By grace"—God's initiative. "Through faith"—the instrument, not the cause. "This is not from yourselves"—even faith is gift. "Not by works"—human effort
Grace and Empowerment - Charismatic (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Charismatics emphasize: grace doesn't stop at salvation. The same grace that saves empowers. "Not by works" applies to spiritual gifts too—you don't earn the Spirit's power through performance. Grace
The Invitation: Receive the Gift - Baptist (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Every Baptist invitation appeals to Ephesians 2:8-9: you cannot earn salvation, but you CAN receive it. Billy Graham preached it millions of times: "Come as you are—not as you ought to be, not as you
Grace and Theosis - Orthodox (Ephesians 2:8-9)
The Orthodox affirm: we cannot save ourselves—we need divine grace. But salvation isn't just legal declaration; it's transformation—theosis, becoming like God. Grace enables our participation in divin
Christ's Work, Our Salvation - Christocentric (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Karl Barth emphasized: read carefully—"By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God." The gift IS Christ. Grace isn't abstract; it's Jesus. Faith
Grace Enabling Faith - Wesleyan (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Wesley agreed: we're saved by grace through faith, not works. But he emphasized: grace ENABLES faith. Prevenient grace precedes our response, making faith possible. Saving grace accomplishes what we c
Charles Ryrie on Grace in the Church Age - Dispensational (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"We live in the dispensation of grace. The church age is uniquely characterized by salvation through faith alone, apart from law-keeping. This was always God's way, but now it is fully revealed. Grace
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on Grace and Synergy - Orthodox (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Salvation is God's gift—entirely, completely. Yet Orthodoxy speaks of synergy: not that we add to grace, but that grace transforms us into participants. We are saved by grace through faith—faith that
R.C. Sproul on Sola Gratia - Reformed (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Sola gratia—grace alone. Not grace plus works, not grace plus merit, not grace plus anything. Even the faith by which we receive grace is itself a gift: 'and that not of yourselves.' From first to la
Martin Luther on Grace vs. Works - Lutheran (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Here is the thunderbolt against all works-righteousness! 'Not of works, lest anyone should boast.' The law demands; grace gives. The law kills; grace makes alive. We are beggars before God, receiving
John Wesley on Prevenient Grace - Wesleyan (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Grace goes before us, awakening us to our need. Grace enables the faith by which we receive salvation. Grace sustains us after we believe. All is grace—but grace that invites response. We contribute
Gustavo Gutiérrez on Grace and Liberation - Liberation (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Grace is liberation—freedom from sin AND from oppressive structures. The poor receive grace not because they are morally better but because God's grace goes to those with nothing. 'Not of works' mean
Karl Barth on Grace in Christ - Christocentric (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Grace has a name: Jesus Christ. He is not merely the messenger of grace but grace itself embodied. We are saved by grace—which means we are saved by Christ. Faith receives not an abstract gift but a
David Wilkerson on Amazing Grace - Pentecostal (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Grace! Amazing grace! You can't earn it, buy it, or deserve it—you can only RECEIVE it! Open your heart right now and let grace flood in! The same grace that saved you empowers you. Grace isn't just
C.S. Lewis on Grace as Gift - Traditional (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and nothing we can do to make God love us less. It is gift—pure, unearned, undeserved. We cannot boast because we contributed nothing.
Saved in an Instant - Pentecostal (Ephesians 2:8-9)
A drug dealer came to an altar call—desperate, strung out, hopeless. He had nothing to offer God but his mess. That night, everything changed. No rehab, no twelve steps—instant deliverance. "By grace