SALVATION: BY GRACE, THROUGH FAITH

Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. Then the LORD saw that the wicked- ness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth,

and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and

you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. And behold, I Myself am bringing flood-waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark--you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and

you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.” Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. (Gen. 6:1-22) Was Noah saved by works? Yes and No By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (Heb. 11:7) Not by meritorious works but by appropriative works.

NOAH WAS SAVED BY GRACE, THROUGH FAITH  Noah was saved by grace in that He was given conditions whereby he could be saved.  He was saved through faith in that He met the conditions he was given.  Similarly, people are saved “by grace...through faith” under the New Testament.

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest

anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:1-10) The Ephesians Had Been Dead in Trespasses and Sins But God, because of His great love:  Made them alive together with Christ.  Raised them up together.  Made them sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

God, because of His great love:  Made them alive together with Christ. –In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4) –And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (1 John 5:11) –And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses. (Col. 2:13)

God, because of His great love:  Raised them up together. –What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Rom. 6:1-4)

God, because of His great love:  Raised them up together. –In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. (Col. 2:11,12)

God, because of His great love:  Made them sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. –Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. (Eph. 1:3) –“And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 8:11)

The Ephesians Were Saved By Grace (Conditions Extended)  Grace has been extended to all.  Grace must be appropriated by faith.  Therefore, they were not saved “by grace only” but “by grace...through faith.”

Grace Has Been Extended to All  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. (Titus 2:11-12)  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. (Heb. 2:9)  “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matt. 26:28)

Grace Must Be Appropriated by Faith  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Rom. 5:1-2)  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Heb. 11:6)  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom. 10:17)

The Ephesians Were Saved Through Faith (Conditions Met)  Faith will not save without obedience.  Not obedience in the sense of “perfect sinlessness” but in the sense of “meeting conditions.”  These conditions must be met: Believe Repent Confess Christ Be baptized

Faith Will Not Save Without Obedience  Not obedience in the sense of “perfect sinlessness” but in the sense of “meeting conditions.”  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21)  “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)  And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. (Heb. 5:9)  You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.... For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:24, 26)

These Conditions Must Be Met Believe - So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31) Repent – “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30) Confess Christ - That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Rom. 10:9-10)

These Conditions Must Be Met Be baptized –“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16) –Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” (Acts 2:38) –“And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.‘” (Acts 22:16)

These Conditions Must Be Met Be baptized –For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 3:18-21)

These Conditions Must Be Met Be baptized –What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Rom. 6:1-4) –But God,...even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph. 2:5-6)

These Conditions Must Be Met Be baptized –For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Gal. 3:26-27) Baptism saves, in that it is the final condition that must be met by alien sinners. Baptism puts us into Christ in that it brings us into a proper relationship with Him.