Grace, not our works
By grace you are saved, through faith. Ephesians 2:8.
All the blessings God has given us are sheer grace. They are his free kindness, and we do not deserve them. We have no claim on the smallest one. It was free grace that formed man from the dust of the ground, breathed into him a living soul (Genesis 2:7), stamped that soul with the image of God, and put all things under his feet (Psalm 8:6). That same free grace still gives us, today, life and breath and everything else. Nothing we are, nothing we have, and nothing we do can earn the least thing from God's hand. All our works, God himself has worked in us. So those works are further signs of free mercy. And whatever righteousness is found in a person, that too is the gift of God.
How, then, can a sinful person make up for even the smallest sin? With his own works? No. However many they are, however religious they look, they are not his. They are God's. And in fact they are themselves unholy and sinful, so that every one of them needs a fresh atonement. A rotten tree grows rotten fruit. The heart is corrupt all the way through. It has come short of the glory of God, short of the glorious righteousness first pressed into the soul, after the image of its Maker. So a person has nothing to plead. No righteousness. No works. His mouth is stopped before God.
If sinful people still find favor with God, that is grace upon grace. If God still chooses to pour fresh blessings on us, and the greatest blessing of all, which is salvation, what can we say except this: thanks be to God for his gift, too large for words. This is how it is. God shows his love for us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died to save us. By grace, then, you are saved, through faith. Grace is the source. Faith is the condition.
So that we do not fall short of the grace of God, we have to ask three questions, and ask them carefully.
First. What faith is it, through which we are saved?
Second. What is the salvation that comes through faith?
Third. How do we answer the objections?
1872 text
Preached at St. Mary’s, Oxford, before the University, on 18 June 1738.
"By grace are ye saved through faith."
Eph. 2:8.
1. All the blessings which God hath bestowed upon man are of his mere grace, bounty, or favour; his free, undeserved favour; favour altogether undeserved; man having no claim to the least of his mercies. It was free grace that "formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into him a living soul," and stamped on that soul the image of God, and "put all things under his feet." The same free grace continues to us, at this day, life, and breath, and all things. For there is nothing we are, or have, or do, which can deserve the least thing at God’s hand. "All our works, Thou, O God, hast wrought in us." These, therefore, are so many more instances of free mercy: and whatever righteousness may be found in man, this is also the gift of God.
2. Wherewithal then shall a sinful man atone for any the least of his sins? With his own works? No. Were they ever so many or holy, they are not his own, but God’s. But indeed they are all unholy and sinful themselves, so that every one of them needs a fresh atonement. Only corrupt fruit grows on a corrupt tree. And his heart is altogether corrupt and abominable; being "come short of the glory of God," the glorious righteousness at first impressed on his soul, after the image of his great Creator. Therefore, having nothing, neither righteousness nor works, to plead, his mouth is utterly stopped before God.
3. If then sinful men find favour with God, it is "grace upon grace!" If God vouchsafe still to pour fresh blessings upon us, yea, the greatest of all blessings, salvation; what can we say to these things, but, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!" And thus it is. herein "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died" to save us "By grace" then "are ye saved through faith." Grace is the source, faith the condition, of salvation.
Now, that we fall not short of the grace of God, it concerns us carefully to inquire, —
I. What faith it is through which we are saved.
II. What is the salvation which is through faith.
III. How we may answer some objections.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1872 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1872 panel is the public-domain sermon. Its disputed lines were checked against the University of Toronto scan of the forty-four sermons: a public robber, a common harlot, sons of perdition, the Romish delusion, and Popery.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 1. St Mary's, Oxford, 18 June 1738. Ephesians 2:8.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Salvation by Faith, 1872 wording (English · The whole sermon, divided to match the reading)
- Checked print Forty-four Sermons, University of Toronto scan (English · Checked the robber, harlot, perdition, Romish, and Popery lines)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.