The main text is Eph. 2:8–9, “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that [faith is the antecedent] is not of yourselves, it [faith]is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” Faith is the instrumental means by which God chooses to save us [through faith]. Thus we are not saved because we are “better” than others in any way. The thing about faith is that it’s inherently without merit and anyone can exercise it!
The only way to be saved by grace is not by works and the only way that can be is by some gift that is not merited. We receive the gift from God. Grace means God’s riches at Christ’s expense. God gives us a choice to receive it freely and not by compulsion or coercion. God saves us by not giving us (mercy) what we deserve and giving us what we don’t deserve (grace)!
God has given us faith to exercise towards Christ and receive this gift. Faith is God’s gift but our work. “This is the work of God that you believe….” (cf. John 6:29. “It has been granted unto you to believe,” (cf. Phil. 1:29). “We believe through grace,” (cf. Acts 18:27). ‘We have obtained like faith…” (cf. 2 Pet. 1:1). God gives us faith, but expects us to use it; He doesn’t believe for us! Note that as many as rely on the Law are under a curse! (cf. Gal. 3:10). We must not depend on our own righteousness which is also the gift of God (cf. Isaiah 45:24).
If faith were a work, then we would be saved by works and Titus 3:5 says we are not saved by works of righteousness. But “It is the gift of God, not of works…” (cf. Eph. 2:8–9). When you give someone a gift and they refuse it, they can only blame themselves.
God’s gift is also unconditional, He doesn’t save us because we will become good people or do something to deserve it. Grace means ultimately that we cannot pay it back even in all eternity, we do not deserve it no matter how good we are, and we cannot earn it by good behavior or works of merit. God’s gift is unmerited because we did nothing; we do not even know why God chose us for salvation. In sum, salvation is given and a given for those with faith, but not achieved!
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