This is taken from John Stott's commentary on Ephesians. He is discussing Eph 2:4-10 and shares this illustration that I found very helpful. (Note, I get a daily e-mail from Stott's group that gives a few paragraphs of the commentary daily. You can register at www.johnstott.org or shoot me an e-mail at mathetais@hotmail.com and I'll forward you a sample.)
Quote:
Towards the end of my time as a theological student at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, the Rev. Paul Gibson retired as Principal, and a portrait of him was unveiled. In expressing his thanks, he paid a well-deserved compliment to the artist. He said that in future he believed people looking at the picture would ask not "Who is that man?' but rather 'Who painted that ortrait?'
Now in our case God has displayed more than skill. A patient after a major operation is a living testimony to the surgeon's skill, and a condemned man after a reprieve to his sovereign's mercy. We are both - exhibits of God's skill and trophies of his grace.
Verses 8-10 elaborate on God's grace, and explain why in the coming ages God will show his grace and indness towards us in Christ Jesus. It is because of our salvation. God will show his grace towards us because he has saved us by his grace: *For by grace you have been saved through faith*. Here are three foundation words of the Christian good news - salvation, grace and
faith. 'Salvation' is more than forgiveness. It is deliverance from the death, slavery and wrath described in verses 1-3. Indeed, it includes the totality of our new life in Christ, together with whom we have been made alive, exalted and seated in the heavenly realm. 'Grace' is God's free and undeserved mercy towards us, and
'faith' is the humble trust with which we receive it for
ourselves.
In order to enforce this positive statement that we have
been saved only by God's grace through trust in Christ, Paul adds two balancing negatives: first *and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God* (verse 8b) and secondly *not because of works, lest any man should boast*. Some commentators have taken the word
'this' in the former of the two negatives to refer to faith (i.e. 'you were saved...through faith, and even this faith by which you were saved is God's gift'). Theologically, this is true. We must never think of salvation as a kind of transaction between God and us in which he contributes grace and we contribute faith. For we
were dead, and had to be quickened before we could believe. No, Christ's apostles clearly teach elsewhere that saving faith too is God's gracious gift (E.g. Acts 18:27; Phil.1:29). Nevertheless Paul is not directly affirming this here because 'this' (*touto*) is neuter, whereas 'faith' is a feminine noun. We must therefore
take 'this' as referring to the whole previous sentence: 'By God's grace you are people who have been saved through faith, and this whole event and experience is...God's free gift to you.' It is neither your achievement (*not your own doing*) nor a reward for
any of your deeds of religion or philanthropy (*not because of works*). Since, therefore, there is no room for human merit, there is no room for human boasting either. Salvation is God's gift, *lest any man should boast*. Christians are always uncomfortable in the presence of pride, for they sense its incongruity. We shall not be able to strut round heaven like peacocks. Heaven will be filled with the exploits of Christ and the praises of God. There will indeed be display in heaven. Not self-display, however, but rather a display of the incomparable wealth of God's grace, mercy and kindness through Jesus Christ.
