SCRIPTURE Ephesians 2:8–9 “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”

COMMENTARY A key verse cited by proponents of eternal security.  This seems incorrectly interpreted by the proponents of eternal security when considered in the larger picture of Scripture.  While the word saved (Greek sozo) is in the perfect tense (meaning an action completed in the past with continuing result), it does not speak definitively to the future since we have shown using Scripture that while salvation has a starting point, it is path. Hence this passage references initial salvation; the point at which we came to Christ. Salvation is spoken of in three different tenses and shows salvation is a path, a race. In this light, this verse addresses initial salvation meaning that we bring nothing of merit to God when He saves us.

 It is a leap of logic to assume that the result (salvation) will be maintained regardless of how we use our God-given free will, especially in light of other scriptural verses. Thus, it contextually fails as a proof-text of guaranteed, unconditional eternal security.  We see the idea of what a person does after coming to Christ as critical to a person’s salvation throughout Scripture. 

Just Paul’s admonitions to the believers at Ephesus in the remainder of that epistle should be enough to make it clear that believers are not free to live any lifestyle they want after receiving Christ, yet still expecting to inherit eternal life (see also Romans 6:15–22).