Everybody knows that salvation is a gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 says so. We were all spiritual beggars on the side of the road when the Lord Jesus came for us. He reached out His mighty hand of grace, and by faith we took it. He saved us TO good works, not because of them, lest any should boast. Recently, I have been thinking about an experience I had with a homeless couple a few months ago. My husband and I gave them a gift from our hearts, and they reacted in a surprising way that made me think. What is the proper response to a gift?
We Bought Lunch for a Homeless Couple
In my town, there is a middle-aged couple that can often be seen going up and down the main street of our city. They usually have a shopping cart or two between them, and I have seen them sleeping under the trees on the same street. One day, they were walking just in front of the Chinese buffet my husband and I had stopped at for lunch. We had the thought that we should buy them a meal, so we approached them about it. We said that God has been good to us, and we felt led to share with them. They agreed, so we went back inside and fixed to-go boxes for them.
My husband collected items for the man, and I got food for the woman. When we came back out, we found them waiting for us on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. We each handed over the lunches with a smile. Suddenly, the man put several metal pieces into my husband’s hand. I didn’t know what had happened until we got to our car. My husband showed me his hand and then promptly threw the fragments into the bushes and brushed his hands on his pants before getting into the car.
“Payment” Instead of Gratitude
My husband thought it might have something to do with witchcraft, but I had a strong feeling that I knew exactly what had happened. This couple had just “paid” us for their lunches. The metal shards were worthless to us, but the simple act of exchanging one thing for another “cleared the books” for the couple. There was now no need for gratitude to us (or to God!) because in their minds, it was quid pro quo.
The couple understood a concept that many Christians fail to grasp. A gift once paid for ceases to be a gift at all. Instead, it simply becomes a transaction.
Salvation is a Gift of God
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
The word “gift” here is Strongs Concordance #1435, dóron. It means “a present; especially, a sacrifice — gift, offering.” It’s uncaused (not coerced, spontaneous) and unearned.
But this is just one of the verses in the Bible on the topic. When I started looking into it, I was surprised to see just how many there are.
Strong’s Concordance #5486, charisma.
It means a grace-gift, a favor one receives without merit of one’s own. Its focus is on divine generosity intended to display the goodness of the giver, not the obligation of the receiver.
- Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
- Romans 11:39, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”
- Romans 5:15, “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”
- Romans 5:16, “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.”
- Romans 5:17, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”
- Romans 5:18, “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”
Strong’s Concordance #1434, dorean.
Here, the word “gift” focuses on the unmerited nature of salvation and the impeccable beneficence of God toward His children.
- Romans 5:16, “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.”
- James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Strong’s Concordance #1431, dorea.
This “gift” means “freely given” and “not acquired by merit.” Again, this one highlights the benevolent giver.
- Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.”
The Proper Response to a Gift is Gratitude.
In the scenario above, my husband and I gave the couple lunch because we wanted to share the bounty God has given us with others. Instead of gratitude, they gave us worthless pieces of metal “in exchange” for the food. They turned a gift into a transaction, but the item they traded held no value for us at all.
God has given us the gift of salvation. When we attempt to “earn” our salvation or “trade” by returning to God our own “righteousness,” it is like handing Him something worthless for something beyond precious. Isaiah 64:6 calls any righteousness we can earn ourselves “filthy rags.” (Imagine God throwing it into the bushes and wiping His hands on His pants.) Instead, our only response should be an overwhelming sense of love and gratitude for the gift God has given us that we could never earn for ourselves.
But What About Working Out Our Own Salvation?
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
Philippians 2:12
Lots of people quote this verse as if it says, “work FOR your salvation” instead of “work OUT your salvation.” They assert that God may have given us eternal life as a gift, but it’s up to us to WORK to keep it. In fear and trembling, they say, we had better continue working lest God come and take our gift away. But the next verse brings things into perspective. We work OUT our salvation after God works IN us.
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13
God gives us the desire (to will) and ability (to do) to work. It’s our job to cooperate, allowing Him to work in and through us. Then, by His grace, we are willing and able to put forth our greatest effort for the Kingdom of God. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” God makes us a new creation by His great grace and gift, and our response to that is our works. We are saved TO good works, not because of them. The “fear and trembling” is modesty and humility, as we are not dependent on ourselves but on God at every step in the process.
Paul Says as Much in Romans 12:1, 1 Corinthians 15:10, and Galatians 2:20.
Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” By God’s great mercy, He works in us to enable us (by our desire and our ability) to give everything we have back to Him.
1 Corinthians 15:10 says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” We may be the ones laboring, but without God’s great grace, we would still be beggars on the side of the road.
Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” All the obedience, sacrifice, and effort we put into the Christian life are possible because God empowers us. We can’t boast about them, and there is certainly nothing we can hand back to Him in “trade.”
Salvation is a Gift of God.
In God’s great grace, He has given us a precious gift that keeps on giving. Jesus sacrificed Himself for our sins, the Holy Spirit drew us and changed us into a new creation, and now He works in us to give us the desire and ability to live the Christian life. Through Him, we are able to complete the works He planned for us ahead of time. The only proper response to all this is gratitude. Every hour, every day, may we ever live to love and praise Him.
Like analogies? Try The Edge of the Light is Still Darkness or Jesus Can Turn Scabs Into Scars. Please sign up to receive my blog in your email inbox. You can find that at the upper right of your screen (or at the bottom on a phone). Also, check out my YouTube Channel, where I read the blogs out loud and have a playlist of hymns.
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