Stop bragging – You had nothing to do with it!

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB)

After studying the Greek I think the Aramaic Bible in Plain English captures the truth better than some of the other English translations…

“For it is by his grace that we have been saved through faith, and this faith was not from you, but it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8 Aramaic Bible in Plain English)

So from where does this saving faith come if this faith “was not from you”? Glad you asked...

“Because we know that a man is not justified by works of The Written Law, but by the faith of Yeshua The Messiah, we also believe in Yeshua The Messiah, that we should be made right by the faith of The Messiah, and not by the works of The Written Law, because no one is made right by the works of The Written Law.” (Galatians 2:16 Aramaic Bible in Plain English)

Did you catch that – it is not YOUR faith, but the faith “of Yeshua The Messiah”. 

We are not saved by our faith IN Christ, but we are both saved and justified by the Grace of God as a result of the “faith of Jesus Christ”.

Claiming to be saved as a result of a decision we make, or our baptism, or our repentance of sin, or our profession of faith, or our good works, or our membership in a church, yada yada yada….is to “boast”. We had nothing to do with our salvation. On the contrary, our decisions inevitably result in sin and death.

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God...the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 3:23;6:23)

One of the reasons that Salvation is by the Grace of God bestowed freely on sinners is to prevent us from bragging about it...or working for it.  

But we should rejoice in it and brag on God for His free gift.

The Faith OF Jesus

"...the Scripture has confined ALL under sin, that the promise by the faith OF Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe." (Galatians 3:19-22)

Some poorer translations of the bible say faith "in" Jesus Christ but a look at the Greek shows it literally means out of "the faith OF Jesus Christ", not our faith.

Because of the faith "OF JESUS", not yours or mine, the promise will come to ALL men as they "believe".  ALL of us have...

"...sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" and "the wages of sin is death" and "it is appointed unto man once to die" (Romans 3:23; 6:23a; Hebrews 9:27)

So if we all die, what is the promise? 

"...the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23b)

 And when will ALL believe the promise? 

Only a few of us believe in this life but the bible says that...

"...at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that Jesus Christ is Lord..." (Philippians 2:10-11)

The above obviously includes everyone, so the bowing and confessing must come at the resurrection of the dead it seems to me.  And I can't image anyone confessing "Jesus Christ is Lord" unless they "believe" at that time, can you?

So to summarize, because of the faith "OF Jesus", ALL sinners will eventually believe and be given eternal life as God's free gift...

"...as in Adam ALL die, so also in Christ ALL will be made alive...that God may be all in ALL" (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)

The same ALL who die are the ALL who will be made alive.

"Yet now, apart from law, a righteousness of God is manifest, being attested by the law and the prophets, yet a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith, for all, and on all who are believing, for there is no distinction, for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God. Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:21-24 CLNT)

At this point in Paul's Roman letter he has clearly set forth that all mankind...the good, the bad and the religious... ALL are sinners. Mankind's only hope is the unmerited favor of God for sinners...His GRACE. Paul then relates the good news:

1. "A righteousness of God" has now been brought to light which is for all sinners.

2. This righteousness is through "Jesus Christ's faith"...as opposed to the sinner’s lack of faith.

3. Jesus Christ's righteousness is "for all" mankind.

4. "There is no distinction" made between the believer and the unbeliever.

5. It is "on all" when they believe God.

6. Both believers and unbelievers have "all sinned and are wanting of glory of God".

7. All are "justified gratuitously (freely) in His GRACE through the deliverance which is in Jesus Christ"

It is simple but few seem to believe God.