EPH 2:8-10 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.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

>>Salvation which is obtained by the grace of God through the exercise of saving faith must be divided into three separate achievements.

First, salvation delivers us from sin, its power, and its consequences.

Secondly, salvation restores us into the favour, communion, and image of God.

Third, salvation preserves us from the power of temptation and sin, and those dangers which we encounter in this life.

>>To understand what it is to be saved by grace through the exercise of saving faith we must look at the context of our text and see what our condition is by nature and what we must be saved from.

EPH 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

>>ROM 8:6 gives us a very clear picture of what this spiritual death is from which we need to be quickened.

ROM 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

>>The symptoms of spiritual death are revealed in EPH 4:18-19 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

>>As the result of Adam's fall this spiritual death has passed upon all mankind.

ROM 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

>>This is the state of spiritual death which we see described in the context of our text.

EPH 2:2-3 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

>>Our text says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"

EZE 16:6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.

>>When God the Father saw His own people whom He loved from eternity He was moved by love.

EPH 2:4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

>>When God sees His people destroying themselves in their sins He says unto His faithful servants,

EZE 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

>>Our text says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith," so how is faith brought into exercise?

ROM 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

>>Hearing the Word of God comes by those whom the Lord has called by His Spirit to be His faithful ministers of the gospel.

ROM 10:13-15 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

>>Those who have not been sent by the Lord do not preach the gospel of peace, they preach a false peace.

JER 6:14-16 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

>>They are preaching peace through the blood of the cross, but without repentance

15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

>>God's Word clearly tells us how to identify His ministers, and how to distinguish them from those who run without being sent.

JER 23:21-22 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

>>Our text says, that true saving faith is "...not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."

>>Satan wants to either sell a religion wherein works are meritorious, or one were there is peace through the blood of the cross without repentance, but our text says,

EPH 2:9-10 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

>>This workmanship of God in saving a sinner from the power of sin all centers in the resurrection of Christ, thus exalting Him upon His throne of glory.

EPH 1:19-20 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

>>It was through this exceeding greatness of His power that Jesus Christ was brought out of power of death and exalted upon His throne.

EPH 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

>>So where is that throne upon which Christ has been so exalted?

ISA 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

>>Being "created in Christ Jesus unto good works," requires the "exceeding greatness of His power" because it involves a new creation.

EPH 4:23-24 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

>>When the Holy Spirit approaches the heart to perform this new creation He not only come to a heart void of the love of God, but one that is filled with enmity against God.

ROM 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

>>This enmity is not revealed by those who begin their gospel by teaching that God loves you and has a great plan for your life, but we read in ROM 1:16-17 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth...For therein is the righteousness of God revealed..."

>>As the true light of the gospel is show through the preaching of God's wrath upon sin then enmity against God that is in the heart by nature is revealed.

JOH 3:19-21 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

>>The apostle Paul describes the character of that work which the true servants of Christ are engaged in 2CO 10:4-5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

>>These mighty Spiritual weapons which we need to pull down the strongholds of the devil are listed in EPH 6:16-19 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

>>The reigning power of sin is the devil's stronghold in every human heart by nature.

>>This is broken down only when the Holy Spirit comes into the heart with His convicting power.

JOH 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

>>It is when we learn to see God's displeasure upon sin that we are convinced of judgment.

JOH 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

>>After that judgment has been passed upon the prince of the world saving faith is put into exercise.

JOH 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

>>Our text says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith," and B"...faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," ROM 10:17.

>>When the Holy Spirit "...guide[[s] you into all truth," you begin to realize that by grace, through the exercise of saving faith, sanctification is worked in the soul.

TIT 2:11-15 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

>>As we grow in grace we learn make the same confession the Apostle made in

TIT 3:3-8 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

>>Our text says, EPH 2:8-10 "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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."