Click to Play
1 plays
Sign in to like or dislike songs
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God—
not by works, so that no one can boast.
For we are God’s handiwork,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
(Ephesians 2:8–10, NIV)
The central theme of this song is the central theme of the gospel: salvation is entirely by the grace of God, received through faith, and not produced by our works—yet it produces a life of good works that God Himself has prepared.
Many believers accept this in theory but live as if God’s acceptance still depends on their performance. Others confess “grace” but use it as an excuse for spiritual laziness or moral compromise. Both are distortions. This passage, echoed in the lyrics, gives us a balanced biblical picture:
“Let us look at what the Word of God says.”
Ephesians was written by the apostle Paul, a former Pharisee, once zealous for the law, now a bondservant of Jesus Christ. He wrote this letter from prison (Ephesians 3:1; 4:1; 6:20), most likely in Rome, to believers in Ephesus and the surrounding region.
In Ephesians 2, Paul is addressing both Jews and Gentiles who have come to faith in Christ. He first reminds them of their former condition:
This is the universal human condition. Before Christ we were spiritually dead, enslaved, and under God’s righteous judgment.
Then Paul introduces the great turning point:
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
(Ephesians 2:4–5)
He then says God:
Why? “In order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace” (2:7).
Ephesians 2:8–10 is Paul’s summary statement. After painting the dark backdrop of human sin and the brilliant act of divine mercy, he states clearly:
The early church was wrestling with Jew–Gentile tensions, law and grace, works and faith. Some Jewish believers struggled to accept that Gentiles could be fully accepted by God without keeping the Mosaic law. Others, especially Gentiles, needed to understand that grace does not mean a lawless life. Paul answers both: salvation is purely by grace, but it is never fruitless.
The song echoes this apostolic emphasis: “Not by works, so no one can boast—saved by grace through faith alone.”
To grasp the depth of this passage, we will look at two Greek words:
1. Charis – “Grace”
2. Poiēma – “Handiwork” or “workmanship”
### 3.1 Charis – “Grace”
“For it is by grace you have been saved…” (Ephesians 2:8)
The Greek word is χάρις (charis). It is often translated “grace,” “favor,” or “kindness.” But it carries a strong sense of:
Charis is not something we can earn. The moment you attempt to pay for grace, it ceases to be grace. Romans 11:6 says:
“And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”
So when we sing “It’s God’s gift, not what we do—we’re rescued by His love,” we are affirming this: salvation is an act of divine generosity, not a wage earned by human effort.
Charis also carries the idea of enabling power. Grace not only forgives; it empowers. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:10:
“But by the grace (charis) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.”
Grace saves us, and grace transforms us.
### 3.2 Poiēma – “Handiwork”
“For we are God’s handiwork…” (Ephesians 2:10)
The Greek word is ποίημα (poiēma). It means:
It is from this word that we get the English word “poem.” Though we should not read poetic sentiment into the text, the sense is clear: you are not an accident. In Christ, you are a deliberate product of God’s creative activity.
Paul says we are God’s *poiēma*—His crafted work—“created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” The good works do not create us; rather, we are re-created in Christ *unto* good works.
This reverses a common religious mindset. Religion says: “If I do good works, God will accept me.” The gospel says: “Because God has accepted me in Christ and made me new, I am now able and destined to do the works He has prepared.”
The lyrics capture this: “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Grace (charis) is the cause. Handiwork (poiēma) and good works are the result.
We will now move through the themes of the lyrics and connect them to the broader teaching of Scripture.
### 4.1 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…”
Salvation is not a human project; it is a divine act. The verb “you have been saved” in Greek is in the perfect tense: a completed action with ongoing results. It could be rendered: “You have been saved and you remain in a saved condition.”
Romans 3:23–24:
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace (charis) through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Faith does not add to what Christ has done. Faith receives what Christ has done. Faith is not a work by which we earn; it is the empty hand by which we receive.
This guards us against two errors:
1. Legalism – trusting in our performance.
2. Passivity – imagining that God saves without demanding any response.
Salvation is *by grace* (God’s initiative) *through faith* (our response).
### 4.2 “And this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”
Paul doubles the emphasis: “not from yourselves… the gift of God.” He wants to cut off every root of human pride. He is not merely saying that *faith* is the gift, nor merely that *salvation* is the gift; the entire package—salvation by grace through faith—is the gift of God.
Romans 6:23:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Sin earns wages; grace bestows a gift. Sin and law produce wages; grace and faith bring a gift.
When the lyrics say:
“It’s God’s gift, not what we do—
we’re rescued by His love.”
they align perfectly with this truth. You did not initiate your rescue. God did.
Our role is response, not initiation.
### 4.3 “Not by works, so no one can boast—saved by grace through faith alone”
Here we confront the heart of the matter: works have absolutely no part in earning salvation.
“Not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:9)
The Greek word for “works” is ἔργα (erga)—deeds, actions, achievements. Paul is not opposing *all* works in an absolute sense; he is opposing works as a ground for justification, as a basis for acceptance with God.
Romans 3:27–28:
“Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.”
Boasting is the sure sign that someone has not understood grace. The cross cuts off boasting. All human pride is silenced. The only legitimate boast is in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31).
Spiritual warfare often involves this exact point. Satan continually seeks to push believers into one of two ditches:
Both are self-focused. Grace redirects our focus to Christ:
The refrain “Not by works, so no one can boast—saved by grace through faith alone” is therefore not merely doctrinal; it is a spiritual weapon against pride, condemnation, and satanic accusation.
### 4.4 “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works…”
If we stop at verse 9, we end up with a distorted message: “Works do not matter.” Paul does not stop there. Immediately he adds verse 10:
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Notice the order:
1. We are God’s workmanship (poiēma).
2. We are created in Christ Jesus.
3. This new creation has a purpose: to do good works.
4. These good works were prepared by God beforehand.
Paul is combating a different error: the idea that grace leaves us unchanged and inactive. Far from it. Titus 2:11–12:
“For the grace (charis) of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”
Grace is a teacher. Grace produces holiness. Grace results in good works. Titus 2:14 says Jesus:
“gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
Not by works *for* salvation—yet unto works *from* salvation.
The lyrics express this dynamic: we are “created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Our works are not the root; they are the fruit. Not the foundation; the evidence.
### 4.5 “Grace alone, faith alone—God’s free gift brings us home”
This echoes what Scripture affirms throughout:
Home, in the biblical sense, is reconciliation with God and final entrance into His presence. Hebrews 2:10 speaks of God:
“…bringing many sons and daughters to glory…”
The free gift—salvation in Christ—brings us home to the Father. Jesus said:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Grace is the way opened; faith is the walking; Christ is the road and the destination.
In spiritual warfare, the enemy often attempts to unsettle believers in this area. He suggests:
The answer is not self-assertion but Scripture:
We are not brought home by our grip on God, but by God’s grip on us.
Doctrine must lead to practice. If salvation is by grace through faith, not by works, yet unto good works, how do we respond? I will outline four practical steps, expressed as both attitudes and declarations.
### Step 1: Renounce All Confidence in Your Own Works
First, we must decisively lay down any claim to acceptance before God based on our efforts, morality, or religious activity.
Philippians 3:8–9:
“…not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”
This is an internal act of renunciation. You say before God:
“I will no longer trust in my own goodness, my ministry, my religious habits, or my performance as the ground of my acceptance.”
This is vital for deliverance. Many believers are in bondage because their confidence rests partly in Christ and partly in themselves. God will not share His glory. He insists that our confidence be entirely in Christ.
You can turn this into a proclamation:
### Step 2: Receive and Affirm God’s Gift of Grace
Second, we must consciously receive salvation as a gift and affirm it regularly.
John 1:12:
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Receiving involves:
Then, maintain your position by affirming the truth:
In spiritual warfare, proclamation is often the turning point. You overcome Satan “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of your testimony” (Revelation 12:11).
### Step 3: Embrace Your Identity as God’s Handiwork
Third, we must accept that in Christ we are God’s workmanship, and we must reject the lies that contradict this.
The world, the flesh, and the devil speak many false identities over us:
Scripture speaks differently:
To walk in freedom, we must bring our self-perception into alignment with God’s Word. You say:
This does not deny your battles. It defines you not by your battles, but by God’s creative act in Christ.
### Step 4: Walk in the Good Works God Prepared
Fourth, we must actively seek and walk in the good works God has prepared.
Ephesians 2:10 says they are “prepared in advance.” That means:
We do not invent these works; we discover them. We do so by:
1. Presenting ourselves to God – “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice…” (Romans 12:1).
2. Renewing our minds by the Word (Romans 12:2).
3. Being led by the Spirit – “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” (Romans 8:14).
4. Obeying in small things, trusting God to unfold more.
Understand the order:
You can pray:
“Lord, show me the good works you have prepared for me today. I yield my time, my body, my resources to you.”
### Proclamation
Make these words your own. Speak them aloud:
“I affirm that I have been saved by grace through faith, and that this is not from myself; it is the gift of God.
I do not trust in my works, my effort, or my righteousness, for the Word of God declares, ‘Not by works, so that no one can boast.’
I renounce all boasting in myself and I boast only in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.
I declare that I am God’s handiwork, His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand for me to walk in.
I am not saved by my works, but I am saved unto good works.
Grace alone and faith alone in Christ alone are the foundation of my salvation.
It is God’s gift, not what I do—I have been rescued by His love.
Therefore, Satan has no legal claim over me, for I belong to Jesus Christ, justified by His blood and accepted in the Beloved.
This is my faith, this is my testimony, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
### Prayer
“Father God,
I thank You for Your indescribable gift—salvation by grace through faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. I acknowledge that in myself I was dead in sins, without hope and without God in the world. But because of Your great love and rich mercy, You made me alive with Christ.
I renounce every form of self-righteousness, every confidence in my own works, and every lie that says I must earn Your favor. I receive, afresh, Your free gift of grace. Let the truth of Your Word settle deeply in my heart: I am saved by grace, through faith, not by works.
Holy Spirit, testify to my spirit that I am a child of God. Renew my mind by the Word. Enable me to see myself as God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus. Open my eyes to the good works You have prepared in advance for me. Lead me into them day by day.
Where pride has taken root, uproot it. Where condemnation has lodged, drive it out by the power of the blood of Jesus. Establish me firmly in the liberty of the gospel. Let my life be a continuing display of the richness of Your grace.
I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.”
No more songs available