The Nugget:
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
The Controversy:
- Ephesians 2:8-9 (Lutheranism vs. Catholicism): “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Lutherans emphasize salvation by faith alone, while Catholics hold that faith must be accompanied by good works.
The Correct Resolution:
“Catholics hold that faith must be accompanied by good works.”
The Bible plainly teaches that we cannot be saved by our own good works.
Titus 3:5
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
King James Version
2 Timothy 1:9
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
King James Version
The Bible teaches that we are saved by faith alone.
John 5:24
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
King James Version
What Roman Catholics and many others fail to understand is that when a person is genuinely saved, the Holy Spirit indwells each believer and produces the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25).
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Genuine faith produces works pleasing to God by means of the Holy Spirit in us Who produces the fruit of the Spirit.
Where does saving faith come from?
Romans 10:17
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
King James Version
Genuine Christians are only those who continue to hear the word of God. The word of God is found only in the Bible. Not only must we continue to hear the word of God but we must continue to obey the word of God. To do this we must continue to feed ourselves spiritually by reading and carefully studying the Bible.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
The word Jesus explicitly refers to is the written word as it is found in the Bible.
Deuteronomy 8:3
3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
King James Version