Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:

it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

Philippians 2:12

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed,

not as in my presence only,

but now much more in my absence,

work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

So, which is it? Grace or works?

Maybe it’s both. Grace and works. Together.

Well, Paul says no. You can’t have grace and works together. If salvation is by grace then it can’t also be of works.

Romans 11:6 — And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Paul says grace and works don’t mix. They’re like oil and water.

We also know this by definition and logic. Grace is unmerited favor. You don’t merit it. You don’t do anything for it. No work, no nothing.

When you work for something, you merit it. You do something for it. You work for it.

But, hold on. Our scriptures say that salvation is by grace and salvation is by works (work it out for yourself).

What is the only conclusion we can make here?

They are not the same salvation. These must be two different kinds of salvation.

Actually, there are many different kinds of salvation.

For example, I can save myself from a life of drug addiction by never trying an addictive drug.

I can save my child from a life of illiteracy by teaching him to read.

To tell what kind of salvation you’re dealing with, all you have to do is ask this question: what am I being saved from and what am I being saved to?

Typically, you are saved from some kind of peril or consequences to a safe place away from that peril or those consequences.

Hebrews 11:7 — By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Noah and his family were saved from drowning in the flood and saved to the ark and later to dry land.

That’s the salvation under consideration here. Not their eternal salvation, not a salvation from eventual death, not a salvation from a life of sin. Nor any other kind of salvation.

It is so important to rightly divide the word of God. Otherwise, as I heard one preacher say, “You’ll be as confused as a termite in a yoyo!”

Context is king in interpreting scripture. First, the immediate context of the verse, then chapter, then book, then the whole Bible.

The Bible is consistent through and through. It does not contradict itself. Only our own minds contradict our thinking.

So, the context of Ephesians chapter 1 and 2 clearly show that the salvation in Eph. 2:8-9 is eternal salvation.

We are saved from this life of sin and death by grace and saved to our heavenly home and eternal happiness, where there is no pain and no sorrow. We did nothing to earn or merit this salvation. It is of God alone. By grace.

In Philippians 2:12 the salvation is a salvation here and now in our lives on this Earth.

We are saved from a life of disobedience and separation from the fellowship of God, here and now by our works, when we obey God and when we revere (fear) him. We are saved to a life of joy and fellowship with our Lord being assured of his love for us. This salvation is up to us. It is conditional on our obedience to God. It is our responsibility. We work out our own salvation.

Yes, salvation is by grace and salvation is by works. They are just two different kinds of salvation.

May God Bless You.