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carefully distinguishes between work and faith in this same chapter--"where is boasting
then? it is excluded, by what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of faith". This
argument is very parallel with that of Eph. 2: 9, "not of works lest any man should
boast". All ground of boasting is removed when we complete the sentence of Eph. 2: by
the words: "it is the gift of God". If we should be tempted to look upon faith as in any
sense a work of merit, these words will bring us sharply to order. Some are caused to
stumble by these words, some make a kind of fatalism of them. Does this passage teach
that faith is the gift of God, does it teach that no man can believe the word of truth, the
gospel of our salvation, unless God in sovereign grace gives to that one faith? The word
rendered "that" does not agree with the word faith. Rotherham gives, "and this [hath
come to pass] not from you". If we consider the word, "salvation by grace through
faith", as a whole, we shall then better realize the meaning, "for by grace are ye saved
through faith, and this grace-by-faith-salvation is not of yourselves--it is the gift of
God". God is the author and donor of this wondrous gift, it is the gift of God. He singles
it out by the word He uses. Never in any epistle to the church or to its ministers does
Paul use the word again. This salvation is THE GIFT of God; what do you think of it,
beloved reader?
To understand the abyss of sin, the power of the dominion of sin and death, to realize
the grasp of corruption, to ponder the vanity of life which ends in the grave, to know only
too well the utter inability of the flesh to accomplish justification by works is to realize
something of the sweetness, the blessedness of the word salvation. It is the exchange of
the horrible pit and the miry clay for solid rock. This puts a song, a new song, into our
mouths; not praises unto ourselves or our systems, but "to the praise of His glory". Had
this salvation cost us our all, it would then be beyond all estimation; what shall we say
when we consider that the salvation which rid us of our sins, struck off our fetters, robbed
death of its sting and the grave of its victory, which lifted us verily from the dunghill and
seated us with princes that this salvation is FREE, it is the gift of God? He has done all,
we simply are the unworthy recipients. That is salvation by grace, that is salvation
through faith, that is a salvation certainly not of ourselves, that is a gift worthy of the God
of all grace. God will have no boasters before Him, except those who boast in Christ.
"We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and boast in Christ Jesus,
and have no confidence in the flesh" (Phil. 3: 3).
As in Eph. 2:, it is Christ or self--one or the other. God has purposely arranged that
the preaching of the gospel, which seems "foolish" to the flesh, shall rob the flesh of any
ground of boasting, "that no flesh should boast in His presence". Salvation and all its
outgoings are of Christ, and not of self; the presence of a little particle te in I Cor. 1: 30
emphasizes this, and the verse may be truly rendered:--
"But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God became to us wisdom, and
righteousness as well as sanctification and redemption."
Not one part, but all parts, of the plan of redemption are in Christ Jesus, and this with
an object, "in order that, according as it hath been written, he that boasteth, let him boast
IN THE LORD". In contrast to those who wanted to make a "fair show in the flesh", and
who desired to "boast in the flesh", comes the glorious renunciation of the apostle Paul:--