Live 4 The LORD

Ephesians 2:8-9 

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast” 

Loved ones, yes, we are saved by faith. But we are also saved by hope (Romans 8:24). We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8). We are saved by calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 2:21). We are saved by confession (Romans 10:10). We are saved by repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). We are saved by water baptism (1 Peter 3:20-21).

We are saved by the gospel (Romans 1:16). We are saved by mercy (Titus 3:5). We are saved by the Word (James 1:21). We are saved by the foolishness of preaching (1 Corinthians 1:21). We are saved by obedience (Hebrews 5:9). We are saved by Christ's blood (Ephesians 1:7). We are saved by the death of Christ (Hebrews 9:15). We are saved by the life of Christ (Romans 5:10). We are saved by love (James 1:12).

The Bible teaches that all of these are necessary to salvation; therefore, no right thinking person would assume that salvation comes as the result of any one of them “alone.” The fact that one scripture says we are saved by “believing” does not prove that there is no other essential to salvation.

Surely on the most important thing in the world, we ought to be willing, even eager, to search out all that the Holy Scripture says. It seems that God went to considerable lengths to show us that salvation is conditional, and the conditions are those which He set down in Holy Writ and not just any one or two which we may prefer.