Salvation, the Gift of God
“For by grace are you saved through faith, and not of yourself; it is the gift of God not by works, lest any man should boast,” Ephesians 2:8-9. (KJV)
“It is by grace that you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so no one can boast,” Ephesians 2:8-9. (NIV)
A gift never accepted simply remains an available gift awaiting a recipient to receive it. Accordingly, the gift of God is for all mankind and available for all individuals who accept it according to God’s Word. Consider the charge of Jesus to his apostles regarding the gift of God and how it is accepted: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned,” Mark 16:15-16.
In the Book of Acts, Luke recorded Peter standing with the other apostles on the Day of Pentecost revealing the gift of God and how it could be accepted. He also recorded some accepted the gift and others rejected it. Consider: “Men of Israel, listen to this: ‘Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did among you through him as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge, and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him,” Acts 2:22-24. Peter continued, “the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body SCESSHE (decay.) God has raised this Jesus to life and we are all witnesses of the fact,” Acts 2:29-32.
Upon the Jew’s understanding they were guilty of killing Jesus and God raised him from death they asked, “What shall we do?” Acts 2:37. Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, (gift of God). The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call,” Acts 2:38-39.
“Those who accepted his message were baptized (received the gift of God), and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” Acts 2:41
A continued study of the Book of Acts reveals the same good news was preached, believed, and accepted through a faith response in baptism obeying the commands of God to receive the gift of God. Others rejected the gift. Consider: Acts 8:1-13, esp. v 12, 13, 14; Acts 10:1-48, esp. v. 39-47; and Acts 18:1-8, esp. v. 8.
The Book of Acts also records how Saul, later called Paul, accepted the gift of God. Consider: (1) Saul was told by the Lord to “Get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do,” Acts 9:6; (2) Saul was praying, Acts 9:11b; (3) Saul was baptized, Acts 9:18; (4) Saul, now called Paul, told the commander of the Romans troops that he was asked, “what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on his name,” Acts 22:16; (5) Paul told King Agrippa, “I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven,” Acts 26:19; and (6) After Saul’s conversion he began to preach the good news,” Acts 9:20. Paul (previously known as Saul) wrote to the church in Galatia , “the gospel I preached is not something man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ,” Galatians 1:11-12.
Paul reminded the brethren in Rome how he as well as they received the gift of God. Consider: Romans 6:1-18: (1) “You are a slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness,” 6:16; (2) Paul reminded them, “though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness,” 6:17-18. (The form of teaching to which they were entrusted was Paul’s teaching regarding salvation [the gift of God], 1 Corinthians 15:2.) “As of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” 1 Corinthians 15:3b-4; (3) Paul reminded the Romans when we obeyed that form of teaching in baptism we were, “united with him (Christ) like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him (Christ) in his resurrection,” Romans 6:5; (4) Paul continued, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him (Christ) so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin,” Romans 6:6-7; and (5) Paul declared, “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace,” Romans 6:14.
Illustration how Paul and all Christians accepted the Gift of God.
“If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin,” Romans 6:5. “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace,” Romans 6:14.
The gift of God that was available on the Day of Pentecost continues to be available today; however, it must be accepted to be applicable.
Consider: The Lord adds to his church those who have accepted the Gift of God. Acts 2:47
