For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
Today, many people believe that Paul’s statement here in Ephesians 2:8-9 means that salvation comes through “faith only” — that simply believing in God and “accepting Jesus as your personal Savior” is all that’s required. But is that really what the Bible teaches? Let’s begin with that little word “for” that connects this statement with what Paul had just said about the incredible riches of God’s grace. He had already told the Ephesians they were saved by grace (Ephesians 2:5), and now he’s showing how that grace connects to our faith.
Grace: What God Has Done for Us
Grace is all about what God has done to make salvation possible. It’s not something we earn — it’s a gift. Titus 2:11 says, “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.” So if grace is available to everyone, why isn’t everyone saved?
The answer is simple: not everyone receives God’s grace the right way. Paul even warned in 2 Corinthians 6:1 that it’s possible to receive God’s grace “in vain.” That means it’s possible to hear about God’s grace but not respond in a way that leads to salvation.
Faith: How We Respond to God
If grace is God’s part in saving us, then faith is our part. Faith isn’t just believing that God exists or that Jesus is real — it’s about trusting Him, obeying Him, and surrendering to Him.
Sometimes people use the word faith to talk about everything we do in response to God (like in John 3:16 or Romans 5:1), and other times it’s listed as one specific step (like in Mark 16:16 or Acts 18:8). But either way, faith in the Bible always involves action.
Just look at the story of the Philippian jailer in Acts 16. When he asked Paul and Silas, “What must I do to be saved?” they told him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus.” But that wasn’t the end of it. They taught him more about Jesus, and that very night he and his household were baptized. Then the Bible says he “rejoiced, having believed in God.” That’s how belief and obedience go hand in hand.
What About “Faith Only”?
A lot of people today believe that all you have to do is “believe” to be saved — that it’s by “faith only.” But the Bible never says that. In fact, the only time the phrase “faith alone” shows up in Scripture is in James 2:24, and it says: “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
The original Greek words used for faith, believe, and belief all come from the same root word, and they carry deep meaning. Biblical faith is more than just a mental agreement — it’s being fully convinced, completely trusting, and willing to obey. That’s the kind of faith God honors.
Salvation: A Gift That Must Be Received
Even though we must respond in faith, that doesn’t mean we save ourselves. Paul says clearly that salvation “is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God.” That word “gift” tells us something important: salvation isn’t something we can earn. But it also reminds us of something else — a gift has to be accepted.
Think of it this way: if a father offers his child an inheritance, the child still has to receive it. If he refuses the gift, he doesn’t benefit from it — no matter how generous the offer was. It’s the same with God’s grace. He offers salvation to us freely, but we have to accept it through obedient faith.
Final Thoughts
God’s grace makes salvation possible. Our faith is how we say “yes” to that grace. It’s not just about believing in our heads — it’s about trusting God with our lives and doing what He asks. Salvation is never earned, but it’s not automatic either. It’s a gift waiting to be received. The question is: Are we willing to receive it in the way God has asked us to?