Saved By Grace Not By Good Works…

What  It Really Mean to Be Saved By Grace And Not By Good Works…?

Psalms 85 is a cry for renewal where the first three verses I believe, perfectly capture the heart of the title of this article. The psalmists provide a slightly different look at this question focusing on what a life of being saved by grace brings instead. Understanding this can better help us comprehend why salvation is by grace and not by works.

You, Lord, showed favor to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins. You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger. -Psalms 85:1-3

God’s selection and faithfulness to Israel as a nation provide the ideal context of how God’s salvation is not by good works but by His grace. In light of God’s past dealings with Israel, the psalmists remember the blessings of God’s salvation. They recall primarily that God’s salvation is one of grace.

‘’You, Lord, showed favor to your land’’ (v1)

Not only did God show undeserved favor (grace) to the Israelites by choosing them among the nations, but also in so doing, the Israelites became recipients of the various gifts of grace, including a prospering land. All the blessings of salvation subsequently are thus obtained by God's grace.

Three distinct blessings of God's gracious salvation, namely restoration, pardon, and mercy are thus singled out. In verse two they acknowledge;

’You restored the fortunes of Jacob’’ (v2)

Because of the curse of sin and death, our lives are that of loss, poverty, nakedness, weakness and shame. Whereas the thief came only to steal, kill and destroy, Jesus came to give an abundant life.  He restores us from the loss sin and death brought. He comes and finds us at rock bottom and places us on solid rock so that no one can boast but in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31).

God’s gracious salvation brings ongoing restoration, because as long as we are still in this world we will be faced with the loss sin brought.

The second blessing salvation gives is pardon.

"You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins" (v2b)

The power of death is sin. And the law is in place to constantly remind us of our sinfulness (1Corinthians 15:56). But! where sins are forgiven there is no more need to fear death. The perfect blood of Jesus once and for all paid for and guaranteed our eternal life (Hebrews 10:17, 18).

God’s gracious salvation brings us eternal pardon because as long as we live in this world, the enemy will always try to make us doubt Jesus’ completed work on the cross.

The last gift of salvation the psalmists acknowledge is mercy.

‘’You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger’’ (v3)

When sin and death came through the rebellion of Adam and Eve, they lost their relationship of peace with God and it was replaced with condemnation. This brought fear in their hearts and caused them to hide from God and eventually be driven away from His presence. But through Jesus, there is no more condemnation, no more fear of His judgement, but peace (Romans 8:1).

God’s gracious salvation brought us under his mercy because as long as we are in this world we are awaiting in weakness the perfection of our glorious salvation at his return or at our resurrection.

Being saved by grace and not by good works means recognizing and acknowledging that not only are we saved by God’s grace but all the blessings that pertain to life and godliness thereafter are also given to us through that very same grace. This realization will keep us from seeking to live our lives through works having been saved by grace. His salvation is from grace to grace until the end.

"Written By"

Sydney !Nowaseb is married with Charlette, they have two children (Hadassah and Jethro) He worked with Campus Crusade For Christ (CCC) SINCE 2009. Sydney is passionate about empowering Christians to deepen their relationship with Jesus and become active disciples, who in turn, disciple and guide others in on their spiritual journey.