Gift of God Ephesians 2-#6

"For by graceG5485 are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Almost exclusively the King James Version translates the word "grace" from the Greek word "charis"G5485. The one exception of grace being another source is in James 1:11: "the graceG2143 of the fashion of it (flower) perisheth." The G5485 grace is the one we are interested in.

Definition. "CharisG5485" is a word in the Greek that the versions translate into at least twelve different English words in the KJV: e.g., grace, gracious, joy, liberality, thanked, thanksworthy, favor, thanks, pleasure, acceptable, benefit, and gift. For example, Romans 6:23 the "gift" is actually grace (charisG5485). When we look at how the word is used in the NT, we see a pattern of a circle from heaven to earth which functions to produce "gratitude" grace, "sharing" grace, and finally back to heaven as "praise" grace.

During the fifties, I obtained a book from the Dyersburg Public Library (Tennessee) explaining why people did not see the Bible alike, even within a same denomination. The author of the book, a gospel preacher, used the expression "complex vicious circle" to explain the problem. First, there is a state of "ignorance" (Ephesians 4:18; Romans 10:3), which allows the devil to apply "deception" (Ephesians 4:14; 5:6) which once accepted produces "conceit" in the heart (1 Corinthians 4:19; Colossians 2:18) so that it prevents the heart from any correction. The circle was completed when new errors fed into one's ignorance and seeded further deceptions. Hence, a "complex vicious circle" rejects truth and people can sincerely not agree on the Bible even within the same group.

One antonym of "vicious" is "praise." "To praise" is to "glorify." Therefore, we might call the circle of Ephesians 2:8-10 a "glorious circle." Therein we have God's grace funneled through the gospel to create in Christ Jesus workers of grace toward God. That's right. The good works performed by Christians are also called "grace" to God in the Greek. In fact, "good" is prefixed. "Good grace." Greek: "eu-charistiaG2169" -- (eu-"good"; charis "grace"). And those benefited by their good works are said to perform "good grace" to God. Hence, we have grace revolving from God through man and back to God according to the Scriptures.

"And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also."

Submitting oneself to God. "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. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good [agathosG18], and acceptable,* and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:1, 2). * "Acceptable" is a synonym of "grace" [per KJV scholars]: 1 Peter 2:20b, "when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptableG5485 ["charis"= "grace"] with God."

"And God is able to make all grace (charisG5485) abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8). "Good work" here is in reference to the contribution to the needy saints of 1 Corinthians 16:2. This passage is generally quoted (and rightly so) during congregational participation of the first day of the week contribution. But grace isn't limited to one's contribution.

According to Colossians 1:20-23 redeemed man now is eligible by virtue of the blood of the Lamb to offer himself as a living offering in the "service" worship to God (Romans 12:1). This is accomplished through good deeds (agathosG18 ergonG2041, "beneficial good") that glorify God (Ephesians 2:10). We are expected to walk G4043 "tread around, ‘be occupied with'" (Strong's) agathosG18 "beneficial doings" to others according to the perfect will of God (Ephesians 2:10).

It is God's Grace that begets beneficial works (charitable deeds)! "And God is able to make all grace (charisG5485) abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8). Grace should beget good works!

In both contexts of Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3, singing to one another, in "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs", is included as good deeds that specifically direct praise (giving thanks) to God and the Father in the name of Jesus. 2 Corinthians epistle shows that the gift offerings of the Christians in the first epistle (1 Corinthians 16) is "grace" on the part of the people. "Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift (charisG5485::"the gift [which is the good deed] of the 1 Cor. 16:2's contribution" is called "grace"-GW), and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints" (2 Corinthians 8:4). "Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace (charisG5485) also" (2 Corinthians 8:7). This ministry is called "this grace." "Moreover, … the grace (charisG5485) of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia" (2 Corinthians 8:1). Macedonia was the giver and yet what they did was called "grace."

And finally, the circle completes when God is praised with thanksgiving! "Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgivingG2169 to God" (2 Corinthians 9:11). Important: In Greek thanksgiving is "eu-charistiaG2169"--(eu-"good"; charis "grace").

"Giving thanks* (grace) always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20). And its parallel companion in Colossians: "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks* (grace) to God and the Father by him" (Colossians 3:17).

GRACE Is Giving Thanks to God. Now, the expression "giving thanks" is literally "good grace" (eu-charisteōG2168), "well favored" (Strong's). We receive God's grace of salvation through the gospel and, subsequently, we are to return (good) grace to Him in praise thanksgiving. "Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving (eu-charisteōG2168) to God" (2 Corinthians 9:11).

"For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace charisG5485 might through the thanksgiving (eu-charistiaG2169) of many redound [superbound] to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 4:15). "And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace (charisG5485), which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind" (2 Corinthians 8:19). "We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace (charisG5485) of God in vain" (2 Corinthians 6:1). The grace requires the circle or else the grace of salvation is vain (empty).

The gift of God of Ephesians 2 is from grace to grace establishing a "glorious circle." This "glorious circle" proves "grace" (charisG5485) is not unmerited. If anything, it is merited[ii]; acceptable. God has promised to reward those that believe, repent, obey baptism, and live faithfully. Jesus has made him/her deserving! We must not belittle the product from the sacrifice of our Lord. God's "grace" therefore judges who is worthy.

(1) Charis goes both ways; towards REPENTANT sinner man and back towards holy God by the redeemed.

(2) Charis is accessible by man only through the gospel which requires in turn beneficial works with a prescribed walk in them.

(3) Charis produces charity of love. The King James uses the derived word CHARITY for the Greek word agathos, "love."

(4) Charis becomes praise and thanksgiving and completes a circle back to God who furnished it.

- Gaylon West - THROW OUT THE LIFELINE website

checked by Janie R Ward and Mary L. West

i There are two types of service to God according to Jesus during His temptations: (1) items of service directed in conscious worship to God (Abraham with Isaac went to Moriah to worship God) and (2) total items of daily service in obedience to God (Romans 12:1 is the latter).

ii Merit: Dictionary, “something that deserves or justifies a reward or commendation; a commendable quality, act, etc.: The book's only merit is its sincerity.”