Ephesians 2: Works for our neighbour

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Ephesians 2: Works for our neighbour

Ephesians 2: 8-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [l]this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

1) Ephesians 2:8 I.e., this salvation

At roughly the 3:30 mark, I am in basic agreement with Pastor Courson. In regeneration (John 3, being born again from God, Titus 3) the believer is saved by grace through faith, in the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ; not by good human works, and never by good human works, but for good human works in Jesus Christ, in salvation.

Paraphrased at roughly the 4:00 mark forward, it is explained that God does not need our works, but our neighbour needs our works. I agree. Proper thoughts and action (s) toward others is something to seek prayerfully.

Further, to be clear theologically, human works cannot save, justify or sanctify, anyone. Clearly within the New Testament, salvation with justification, the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, and sanctification is from God. But the Christian can and should embrace these in salvation.

In his commentary series Pastor Courson writes that 'Paul says specifically that even the faith it took to be saved is not of ourselves.' (1234). He further notes that dead men do not have faith. (1234). This is spiritual deadness and indeed the unregenerate are actually at odds with God. 

Romans 5: 10  New American Standard Bible (NASB)

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved [a]by His life. Read full chapter Footnotes Romans 5:10 Or in

Pastor Courson references Romans 3 where that 'there is none that seeks after God, no not one (Romans 3: 11) (1234). Salvation is totally based on God's grace. (1235). Romans 3: 11 also explains that no human being is righteous and in Romans 3: 12, it is explained that no one does good. 

This is not a theology of maximal evil within humanity (within total depravity), but is rather explaining that humanity is tainted within its fallen, sinful nature and ontologically (nature and existence) separated from God. The regeneration of a persons in Jesus Christ, in salvation, imputes the righteousness of Christ and applies sanctification, towards ultimate resurrection within the eventually culminated Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 20-22) minus any human taint.

Monday, April 30, 2018: Repentance 

Edited from website archives

James 2:24 24 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 

The justification discussed in James is a justification of works, as in a sign on true regeneration and faith is works. Someone that is not regenerated will not have the works mentioned in both James 2 and Ephesians 2: 10. Barclay reasons that Paul and James are not in disagreement. (79). Faith and deeds are not opposites, they are inseparable. (79). Someone must be moved to faith by God, and that faith will demonstrate works for God.

Blue Letter Bible 

Cited

παλιγγενεσία 

Transliteration

palingenesia 

Definition new birth, reproduction, renewal, recreation, regeneration 

Cited 

Strong’s Definitions

παλιγγενεσία palingenesía, pal-ing-ghen-es-ee'-ah; from G3825 and G1078; (spiritual) rebirth (the state or the act), i.e. (figuratively) spiritual renovation; specially, Messianic restoration:—regeneration. 

Thayer's Greek Lexicon 

Matthew 19:28 is seemingly, primarily, in the context of messianic restoration. 

Cited 

in the new age or world... 

Titus 3: 5 is in the context of spiritual, human regeneration from God. 

Cited 

moral renovation, regeneration, the production of a new life consecrated to God... 

BARCLAY, WILLIAM (1976) The Letters of James and Peter, Philadelphia, The Westminster Press. 

BRUCE, F.F. (1987) Romans, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.

CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

DUNN, JAMES D.G. (1988) Romans, Dallas, Word Books.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.

STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Burlington, Welch Publishing Company.