UFC: Accepting by Faith Alone

Accepting by Faith Alone was our topic of discussion in ABF this week. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, "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." But exactly what are grace and faith? Grace is simply God's unmerited favor shown to mankind. Faith is abandoning all trust in our own resources and casting oneself on the mercy of God. How do grace and faith work together in salvation and where do works come in to play? Salvation is a gift of God's love, grace and mercy. The definition of salvation is the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil. We can only be delivered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. John 3:16 clearly demonstrates that salvation is through faith alone.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Though the basis of salvation is not works, the goal of salvation is good works (Eph 2:10). We were not saved by works, we were saved for works. Once we have been saved, we are re-created into a “masterpiece” of God’s grace in order to do the good works that God had designed for us to do.