Seraphim Hamilton

This text is one of the most critical texts for defending the Protestant doctrine of Sola Fide, that is, salvation by grace through faith alone. It reads as follows:

(Ephesians 2:8-10) For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (ESV).

Thus, let us take this passage one piece at a time. The Orthodox Catholic doctrine of salvation is that salvation comes by grace alone, but this grace is appropriated by both lifelong faith (initiated in the mystery of Baptism, see Galatians 3:27), and also works done by the grace of God. Works done apart from the grace of God (often called works of the law), are absolutely worthless and are a “filthy rag” as Isaiah the prophet says.

 For by grace you have been saved

Our salvation comes by grace. Many protestant commentators focus on the faith in Ephesians 2 to demonstrate Sola Fide. St. Paul is focusing on the grace, and that is where our focus should be as well.

through faith.

What is the meaning of “through faith”? Most lay readers see the faith here as our faith, which we exercise to appropriate the saving grace of God. Actually, this is likely not the intended meaning. We must view Paul’s doctrine of salvation as a client-patron relationship. In such a relationship, the patron would exercise an act of favor toward the client, and the client would be expected to respond positively. Upon positive response, the patron would exercise greater favor toward the client, and the client would again be expected to respond positively. Contingent upon this relationship was the pistis of the patron. That is, the patron must be trustworthy. Thus, St. Paul is saying that we have been saved by grace, through God’s faithfulness. While faith is certainly one of the positive responses we give to God our patron, this is not what is in view here.

And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

The client could not take or demand anything from the patron. It was given freely, out of the goodness and mercy of the patron. It was completely and totally his gift. This does not exclude works (or positive feedback in a patronal context), but necessarily includes them, for a client-patron relationship is unquestionably synergistic, to the chagrin of Calvinists everywhere.

not a result of works

How then can I say that works are a part of salvation? It is important to understand what type of works Paul is discussing here. Note the contrast:

The works of Ephesians 2:9 are specifically contrasted with the grace of Ephesians 2:8. That is, St. Paul is teaching that works done apart from the grace of God are absolutely non-salvific. In the context of a client-patron relationship, doing works apart from grace would be akin to responding positively to the patron and saying “See? Look how positively I responded! More favor please!” A work must be done by and in view of God’s grace.

so that no one may boast.

Because it is only out of the goodness and mercy of God that He responds to our works done by grace with favor, no boasting may be made, because all salvation is the work of God.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works

Note the subtle contrast between this and verse 9.  Why does Paul refute works and then say “for we are…”  The “for” here suggests that this is the logical conclusion.  This is because we are not saved by works done apart from grace, but by good works.  The good works of Ephesians 2:10 are specifically contrasted with the works done apart from grace of Ephesians 2:9.  Again, the flow of the argument:

The patron, in providing us with grace, prepares us for a response of gratitude and good works. Thus, if we choose to walk in them, by the power of the grace provided, the Lord provides more grace.

Thus, Ephesians 2:8-10 is far from an exposition on Sola Fide. Rather, it teaches the great and transformative power of God’s grace, which takes us and transforms us into His likeness throughout our lives, but only if we respond to His grace with works done by grace.