Ephesians 2:8, 9

[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

These verses apply to a person accepting the grace of God through faith. He realizes that no amount of good works can make him justified in front of an awesome fearful God.
But these verses have been misunderstood and many have been taught that the power of grace to save sinners nullifies the work of obedience in order to be saved.

We also sometimes hear from our own pastors that we are not keeping the law to be saved, but that we are saved.

This statement may sound good, but not good enough to be true. This theology, if imbibed leads the sinner to make light of strict obedience to the law because in his mind, he is already saved by grace and now just keeping the law as a form of “gratitude” to God.

This is just one step less to the false doctrine of “once saved, always saved. “The truth is when a sinner comes to the knowledge of grace through faith and accepts it, he is justified without any works.

However, after he has been justified, he must “put on the new man” (Eph. 4:24) and walk in righteousness (Read Ephsians 4:21-32) or otherwise grieve the Holy Spirit (v. 30) which is the unpardonable sin.

Therefore, AFTER we’ve been justified freely by grace, we must also continue in it, BUT NOW WITH WORKS, but whose works? Ours? No, but the work of Christ reflected in our lives. Phillipians 2:12, 13

[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.

[13] FOR IT IS GOD WHICH WORKETH IN YOU both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Romans 6:2, 15 [2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, LIVE ANY LONGER THEREIN?

[15] What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? GOD FORBID. Paul is very clear. Ephesians 2:8, 9 refers to “our works” that we might not view them as “worthy” enough to earn heaven because this would discard grace, but if we are saved by grace, we are to let CHRIST WORK in us to obey His law – STRICTLY.

Therefore, the life which we live now; obedient to the law is not of our own strength, but the WORK OF CHRIST so that no one can boast. This is the “work” REQUIRED for salvation.

And this is why many accuse us of being legalists when they see our doctrine of strict obedience to the law. It is simply because they have been taught erroneously on the true meaning of Ephesians 2:8, 9.

In summary, salvation is GRACE through FAITH without any of our works – if accepted, the person is justified.

The next step…GRACE through FAITH with Christ’s working in us – obeying the TEN COMMANDMENTS – if accepted, the person is being sanctified.

The next step…GRACE through FAITH with Christ’s working in us obeying the TEN COMMANDMENTS – if accepted until the end, the person waits to be glorified in his new immortal body.

P.S. – If you hear someone tell you that we are not keeping the law to be saved, but because we are saved, please correct them even if it’s your pastor.

Matt. 19:17 “but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. “.  Every individual will be judged at last by the mighty moral code of God’s law.  To break one is to be guilty of sin. The Bible indicates that the Ten Commandments are like a chain with ten links.  When one link is broken, the chain is broken.  So it is with the law.

How many of the Ten Commandments does one have to break in order to be guilty of sin? James says, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty” (James 2:10–12).

–Blessings