In the evangelical world, perhaps no passage of scripture is cited more often than Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
For many Protestants, this verse clearly expresses what they see as the most fundamental truth of Christianity: our salvation is a gift from God which comes through faith, not by works. In this scheme, “faith” is defined as belief or trust in Jesus’ atoning death. “Works” refers to any human effort, conduct or behavior. These play absolutely no role in salvation. Our good works are only an expression of thanks which we offer to the God who has already saved us.
This interpretation has become ubiquitous in evangelical circles. The meaning assigned to Ephesians 2:8-9 has far-reaching implications. This presumed dynamic of faith & works is then applied to many other passages, not just in Paul but throughout the rest of the Bible. In this way, Ephesians 2:8-9 has become a sort of hermeneutical axis about which the world turns. It dictates what other passages of scripture “must” mean.
Given the centrality of this passage to many Christians, it’s important to examine that interpretation. I believe that Ephesians 2:8-9 has been misunderstood, and that Paul intended to convey a very different message.
Let’s begin by examining some of Paul’s key terms, beginning with “faith.” Generations of evangelicals have been taught that faith exclusively carries a narrow, passive meaning of belief or trust. But in reality, the Greek word which Paul uses (pisteos) often has a much more active meaning of faithfulness, loyalty or allegiance. These terms imply a much deeper and richer commitment to the Lord Jesus. Loyalty or allegiance require a whole person response, a radical transformation of thought, word and deed.
The central claim of Christianity is that Jesus is the Christ, or Messiah. That is, Jesus is God’s anointed king, sovereign over all creation. It therefore makes far more sense to acknowledge that Jesus demands, not merely belief in him, but loyalty to him. This posture is reflected throughout the scriptures.
Here are just a few examples:
(1) “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) In this passage, Jesus goes on to describe the consequences of either heeding his words or failing to do so. The one who puts Jesus’ words into practice is like a house built upon a foundation of rock; such a dwelling stands firm when assailed by storm & flood. But the person who does not put Jesus’ words into practice is like a house built on sand; it will be totally destroyed. We should recognize that these are images of judgment, the outcome of which hinges on the individual’s obedient response.
(2) “While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50) Jesus here distinguishes between his physical family and his spiritual family. He indicates that his true people are those who are obedient to the will of God.
(3) “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” (I John 2:3-6) Once again, obedience is the key litmus test which reveals those people who truly know and love God.
It would take a book and not a blog to exhaust this line of thought. Nonetheless, I hope that the point has been sufficiently made. When Paul writes about being saved “through faith,” we ought to understand this as whole-person loyalty or allegiance to King Jesus.
We must next address the meaning of “works.” Virtually all evangelical Christians treat works as a general term for all human conduct or behavior. But that is simply not the case.
In several of Paul’s most famous passages, the apostle contrasts “faith” with “works of the law.” When Paul uses this phrase, he’s always referring to the Torah, the Jewish law which God gave to Israel through Moses on Mount Sinai.
For example, in Romans 3:28 Paul writes, “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law (Greek: ergon nomou).”
Paul also makes this abundantly clear in Galatians 2:15-16: “a person is not justified by works of the law, but by the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah. So we too have given our allegiance to the Messiah Jesus, that we may be justified by the faithfulness of the Messiah and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”
Paul was a Pharisee steeped in the Jewish scriptures. The long history of God’s covenant with Israel was etched upon his heart and mind. For Paul, “works of Torah” were never a general way of talking about ethical behavior or conduct. It was always about the people of Israel struggling to keep the law of Moses.
Despite much confusion among interpreters both ancient and modern, Paul never taught that the law was a horrible thing which was thankfully done away with by Christ. On the contrary, Paul extolled the Torah as a gift from God, “the embodiment of knowledge and truth. He also wrote, “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.” The Torah properly revealed to Israel the kind of worship and obedience which God requires of human beings.
If Israel was faithful to the covenant, they would receive God’s rich blessings, the chief blessing being life itself. Here’s a few passages which make this connection abundantly clear:
“Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them.” (Lev. 18:5)
“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.” (Deut. 30:15-16)
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.” (Deut. 30:19-20)
There was, however, a deep flaw in the old covenant: the people to whom the law had been given. The Israelites were hard hearted & rebellious. Like their forefather Adam, they were given God’s commandments but failed to obey them. As a consequence, Adam had been expelled from God’s presence in the garden of Eden. In the same way, Israel had gone into exile in Babylon, far from the promised land.
The Old Testament records the long, tragic story of Israel’s covenant failure. Jeremiah prophesied about the necessity of a new covenant: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 31:31-32)
The people of Israel (like all human beings) had a sinful inclination which threatened to ruin the whole covenant project. The Apostle Paul had a very specific term for this dark impulse. He called it “the flesh” (Greek: sarx) – a word often translated as “sinful nature.” It’s absolutely crucial to grasp that works of Torah, Israel and the flesh all belong together. As we shall see, this is the key to unlocking the meaning of Ephesians 2 and many other Pauline passages.
