There’s a passage in Scripture I deeply treasure—one I’ve read countless times, and maybe you have too. It’s Ephesians 2:8–9: “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.”
That’s a beautiful truth, isn’t it? We’re not saved because of our own greatness, intellect, effort, or merit. Salvation isn’t a trophy for the righteous—it’s a gift for the guilty. A gift that comes by grace through faith.
But I’ve been asked a question more than once, and maybe you’ve asked it too: “If salvation is by grace and not of works, does that mean repentance and baptism aren’t necessary?”
Let’s wrestle with that question together. Because when Ephesians 2:8–9 is given a fair hearing—when we look at it in its full context, not just in that chapter but across the entire New Testament—we find no contradiction between salvation by grace through faith and the necessity of things like repentance and baptism.
In fact, when you truly understand grace, you’ll understand why God expects a response—and what kind of response He desires.
Dead in Sin—Helpless to Save Ourselves
Before they obeyed the gospel, the Ephesians were utterly lost. Paul tells them in verse 1 that they were “dead in trespasses and sins.” Not weak, not misguided, not dead.
And just like it’s impossible for someone to will themselves back from physical death, it’s just as impossible to pull yourself out of spiritual death. These Christians had been separated from God, alienated, hopeless. They had no ability to devise their own path to eternal life.
But then Paul says two of the most hope-filled words in the Bible: “But God…”
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us… made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” (Ephesians 2:4–5)
That’s the gospel. That’s the power of God’s mercy. He did for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. Jesus became the perfect sacrifice—not because we earned it, not because we were worthy, but because God’s grace is that deep.
So yes, we are absolutely saved by grace. There is no other way. It’s not of ourselves. It’s not a product of human invention or effort. It’s the gift of God. And Paul makes sure to emphasize that it is “not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
But here’s where we need to slow down and be careful about how we understand that word: works.
Not All “Works” Are the Same
When Paul says salvation is “not of works,” what kind of works is he talking about?
Some assume that any action a person takes—believing, repenting, confessing, being baptized—is excluded by this phrase. But the Bible actually uses the word “works” in several different ways, and it’s crucial to recognize which kind Paul is talking about.
Here are a few biblical categories of works:
- Sinful works – “Works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11), “works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19). These don’t save—they condemn.
- Works of the Law of Moses – Paul often speaks against the idea that keeping the Old Law can justify us (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:15). That system has been abolished.
- Works of merit – These are efforts that attempt to earn salvation. Paul is clear—we can’t boast our way into heaven. We are not saved because we’ve earned it.
- Works of obedient faith – These are responses to God’s commands—actions taken not to earn salvation but to receive it, in humble submission to God’s will.
And it’s that last category—the works of faith—that many overlook when they read Ephesians 2.
Even Faith Is a “Work” (But Not of Merit)
Jesus was once asked, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” (John 6:28)
And His answer?
“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:29)
Did you catch that? Believing is called a work of God. Not a work that earns—but a work that God commands. A required response. It’s a work in the sense of obedience, not achievement.
So when people ask, “How can salvation be a gift if you have to do something to receive it?”—I point them to Scripture. A gift doesn’t cease to be a gift just because the giver sets conditions for receiving it. A drowning man who grabs a life preserver doesn’t boast about himself. He’s just accepting what someone else graciously provided.
Repentance and Baptism: Acts of Faith, Not Merit
Now, let’s go back to Ephesians. In chapter 4, Paul describes what this new life looks like. He talks about putting off the old man, putting on the new, walking in love, rejecting impurity. That’s repentance—turning from sin and living for Christ. It’s everywhere in Ephesians.
And baptism? Paul doesn’t leave that out, either. In Ephesians 4:5, he lists the “one baptism” as one of the foundational truths that unite Christians.
Then, in Ephesians 5:26, Paul describes how Christ sanctifies the church: “…with the washing of water by the word.”
That’s a clear reference to water baptism—the very act the Ephesians had obeyed in Acts 19 when they believed Paul’s teaching and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
This same Paul had earlier written to the Romans: “We were buried with Him through baptism into death… that we should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)
And to the Colossians: “…buried with Him in baptism… raised with Him through faith in the working of God…” (Colossians 2:12)
So when Paul tells the Ephesians they were “raised up together with Christ,” do you see the connection? That raising happened at baptism, by grace, through faith, in the power of God—not by works of merit, but by trusting obedience.
Salvation Is a Gift, but a Gift Must Be Received
Let me be clear: we don’t earn salvation. You can’t do enough good deeds to deserve heaven. But God does tell us how to respond to His grace:
- Hear the gospel (Romans 10:17)
- Believe in Jesus (John 8:24)
- Repent of sins (Luke 13:3)
- Confess Christ (Romans 10:9–10)
- Be baptized (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16)
- Remain faithful (Revelation 2:10)
None of those are meritorious. None earn salvation. They’re simply the means by which God has chosen to extend His gift to those who will receive it.
Let’s Understand Grace Properly
Ephesians 2:8–9 isn’t a contradiction. It’s a cornerstone of the gospel. But it must be understood as Paul meant it—not as an exclusion of all action, but as a rejection of earning salvation.
We are saved by grace, through a faith that obeys, not by works of merit, but by trusting in what God has done and responding in the way He has commanded.
Just like the drowning man who can’t save himself, we reach out in faith—and God does the saving.
If you want to know more about receiving the gift of eternal life, I encourage you to explore God’s Word with an open heart. Watch other videos in this series, or visit us at apologeticspress.org.
God’s grace is rich. His mercy is deep. And salvation is within your reach—if you’ll receive it the way He intended.
