[English Sermon 영어 설교]
Sunday, May 18, 2025 - Sermon by Rev. Jinkook (Danny) Sohn
Salvation and Works (Ephesians 2:8-10)
2025. 5. 18. 주일예배 설교- 에베소서 강해 9
본문: 에베소서 2:8-10
제목: 구원과 일
설교자: 손진국 목사
Today’s message clearly explains how sinful humans receive salvation, that is, forgiveness of sins and eternal life. I will share two points today.
1. Good Works Are Not the Condition for Salvation.
[Ephesians 2:8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
The core truth of Christianity is the gospel. In English, it means "Good news." Why is it called good news? Because God, out of grace, grants salvation to those who cannot save themselves. What is grace? In verse 8, grace is expressed differently—as a gift. What do grace and gift have in common? They are freely given. It is not something we earn. Grace is love given without merit. We grew up receiving our mother's love. Did she love us because we did something well? No.
However, nowadays, the meaning of gifts has been distorted. It has become “give and take.” People give gifts on others’ birthdays but get upset if they don’t receive gifts on their own birthday. What does this mean? They expect a return, not just a gift.
The meaning of grace and gifts can become distorted in human relationships because both parties are equal—imperfect created beings. But what about the relationship between humans and God? Can a creature like us have any right or merit before the Creator God? God gives us daily rain, sunlight, clouds, growing plants and animals, and above all breath and life to live even now by His grace. Do you believe this?
Many people in the world do not believe this. Why? Fundamentally, because they do not know God. They do not know there is eternal life. They do not know or accept that after this life, there is heaven and hell.
Yet humans know life in this world ends. How do they know? Because they see people close to them die. They fear what comes after.
Everyone has some view of salvation. It can be divided into two: Christianity and religion. Both have something in common: faith. Christianity receives salvation by faith, and religion also by faith. What is faith? Trusting in something. The difference? Whom do you trust? Christianity trusts in Jesus. Religion trusts in oneself. This difference in the object of faith is seen in the text.
[Ephesians 2:9] not by works, so that no one can boast.
Christianity says salvation is given by grace. But religion says salvation is earned by works. Many religions exist today: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Catholicism, animism (nature worship), totemism (animal worship), shamanism, etc. What do these religions have in common? They believe salvation is achieved by their own works. It appears in two main ways: good deeds and asceticism. Good deeds are active acts done to gain favor from the deity. Asceticism is suffering to gain pity from the deity to avoid judgment.
What underlies this? The idea that “God is scary.” So people try to appease God. Why?
Who are the ancestors of humanity? Adam and Eve. They ate the forbidden fruit God commanded them not to eat. Why? Because Satan’s temptation pleased them.
[Genesis 3:5] For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
What did Eve think? “Did God forbid us to eat this because He doesn’t want us to be like Him? Does He want to be God alone?” With that in mind, she ate it and gave it to Adam, saying, “Let’s become like God by eating this.”
What happened? They were expelled from Eden and, as God said, they died. What did they tell their children? “We were expelled because we ate it.” Only eight survived the flood in Noah’s time. Noah’s sons Shem (East - Asian), Ham (South - African), and Japheth (West - Caucasian), and their descendants heard the story that their ancestors Adam and Eve were expelled and that God judged the world by water in Noah’s day. So what did people think? God is scary. We must appease God. How? By good deeds or by ascetic suffering to gain pity and avoid judgment.
This is the state of religion. What is missing in religion? God’s heart. Why? Because religion starts from humans. All religions have humans seeking God. Christianity is different—God seeks humans. It is not man-made.
Since religion has humans seeking God, the focus is on works: What must I do for God to meet me? How can I appease God’s heart and avoid His wrath and judgment?
But Christianity, because God seeks humans, focuses not on our works but on His grace.
Why did God come to humans? Because no matter how many good works people do, they cannot be saved. Why? Because despite good works, they are sinners doomed to die because of sin.
[Romans 3:10] As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one,”
[Romans 3:23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
It is like a branch cut from a tree; no matter how much it struggles, it cannot live by itself. What is grace? Even if the branch struggles, it cannot live; the farmer comes, makes a cut on the tree, and grafts the dead branch to bring it back to life.
There are two views on salvation: One places the standard on works, and the other places it on the grace God gives. True gospel remembers that the standard of salvation is not in us but in God. Once again, we thank God for His great grace that raised us from death in Christ, seated us in heaven, and we pray that all believers live daily in the joy of salvation.
[Application]
What is the difference between religion and Christianity? Do you desire salvation through good works? Do you believe there is no other way to be saved except by the grace God gives?
2. Good Works Are The Purpose Of Salvation
I hope none of you think like this: "If I attend church long enough, I become a Christian," or "If I practice my faith diligently and serve a lot, I will be saved."
What about these thoughts? "I have been saved by grace, so that's enough now," "Why do I need to practice my faith diligently and devote myself?" "I can just enjoy doing what I want and like, and then go to heaven."
Today's passage speaks about two kinds of good works. One is the works as a condition for salvation, and the other is works as the purpose of salvation.
[Ephesians 2:9] not by works, so that no one can boast
[Ephesians 2:10] For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
The "works" in verse 9 and the "works" in verse 10—both are the same Greek word "ergon," translated differently but meaning the same "works." Are they bad or evil works? No, both are good works.
Although the works are the same, the reason and purpose for doing them are different. The works in verse 9 refer to works as a condition to obtain salvation. God does not require good works or deeds as a condition to earn salvation. How hard we serve God or how many people we help is not the condition for salvation. Salvation is obtained only by faith in Jesus Christ, given by God's grace. Do you believe? (Repeat after me) "I did not earn salvation by my effort," "I received salvation by God's grace," "Therefore, I have nothing to boast about."
Does that mean good works are meaningless? No. The good works we do are important because they are the purpose of salvation.
"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" — humans were created by God. Why did God create humans? There was a purpose.
[Genesis 1:26] Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Humans were created as kings ruling over creation on God's behalf, mediators between God and creation. This is the good work God entrusted to humans. However, humans disobeyed God's word, failed to fulfill this purpose, lost this authority to Satan, and became slaves of sin.
But God had mercy and love for us until the end. He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, who through His death and resurrection opened the way to new creation. By believing in Jesus Christ, we are newly created creatures. You and I, having been saved and made new creatures in the Lord, have a purpose from God. What is it? Good works, righteous deeds. Therefore, good works are not the condition of salvation but the purpose of salvation—they are the result, fruit, and expression of being saved. Have you been saved? Then are you doing good works according to the purpose of salvation?
Our good works are unnecessary to obtain salvation, but they are absolutely necessary to fulfill God's purpose in creating and recreating us, and they hold eternal value.
Many people often get confused about this. Those who emphasize grace may say zeal for the Lord and good works are wrong. On the other hand, those who emphasize works may say that people who emphasize grace but don’t do works lack purpose. Neither is entirely wrong. We just need to clarify what the works are for. We live on this earth by God's grace and are also living to fulfill God's purpose by doing good works.
[Ephesians 2:10] For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Do you believe that you and I are God's handiwork? All humans are God’s creation. But notice here that those created for good works are not all humanity. Although humans are God’s creatures, because they rebelled against the Creator God, they became unable to carry out those good works. So God had to recreate us in Christ Jesus. Especially in the resurrected Christ, God made us anew in His image. Therefore, doing good works, our created purpose, is only possible in the risen Christ Jesus. In other words, doing good works as God's children is not by our own strength, ability, or wisdom but by the power of Christ, who is life and resurrection living in us. That is why the Apostle Paul could say to the Philippians,
[Philippians 4:13] I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Paul’s words are not arrogance but an acknowledgment of the One living within him, confessing that it is not his own power but Christ’s power. I believe that the Lord, who is working and leading our Hope of Heaven Church today, is giving us power through our church to accomplish good works.
[Ephesians 2:10] For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
It says here that God prepared these good works in advance. God is the one who prepares. Through Scripture, we see how God prepared good works to be accomplished through His chosen ones: raising Moses as a prince of Egypt despite his weak heart, preparing the Exodus; using Joshua to conquer Canaan; using David, a shepherd, to prepare the birth of Christ; using Esther, a captive, to save Israel and reveal God's sovereignty; using Peter, a fisherman, to lead 3,000 to repentance and establish the early church; and appointing Paul, a persecutor, as an apostle to the Gentiles. God calls lowly and weak people, equips them with the necessary power and grace, and accomplishes His will and plan. All these are the works God prepared beforehand.
God still wants to accomplish the good works He prepared through you and me, newly created in Christ Jesus.
"…which God prepared in advance for us to do." God says not that we do the good works but that He enables us to do them. What does this mean? It means God gives us the hope and passion to carry out these works.
I pray that our Hope of Heaven Church becomes a church where the good works God prepared abound. Many souls come to faith in Jesus and receive life, becoming members of Christ’s body. May every member realize the special good work God has for them and faithfully serve according to that will. Like the Apostle Paul, who confessed,
[2 Timothy 4:7-8] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
I pray all of you will endure in faith, fulfill good works, and receive the crown of righteousness prepared by the Lord.
[APPLICATION]
What good works do you do with the joy and gratitude of being saved? Do you do them by your own strength and ability, or by the power and strength of the Lord working within you?
하늘소망교회(담임 손진국 목사)는 뉴질랜드 오클랜드 북부 실버데일에 세워진 한인교회로 '하나님의 마음으로 사람을 살리는 교회'입니다.
Hope of Heaven Baptist Church (Senior Pastor: Rev. Jinkook Sohn) is a Korean church established in Silverdale, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a church that saves people with the heart of God.