Season 1 Podcast 34 Saved by Grace, Judged by Works
Few arguments among Christians are more superfluous than the argument regarding grace vs. works. I would put the argument this way: If works were all that we needed to save us, then why do we need Christ? As usual, the inimitable Paul comes directly to the point:
(Ephesians 2:5-9)
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast
I would like to illustrate this with an odd example. F.L. Lucas in his book on Style illustrated the uses of “will” and “shall” with the following story. I take some liberties with the example. Two drowning men yelled for help:
The first victim shouted, “No one will save me. I shall drown.”
The second victim shouted “No one will save me. I will drown.”
A bystander, an excellent swimmer, who happened to be an English teacher made cynical by years of reading freshman essays, heard the two shouts. He immediately saved the first one but sat back and watched the second one drown. When asked why he let the second person drown, he replied, “I granted him his desire.”
From the English teacher’s point of view, the first man gave a despairing cry for help. In effect he was saying, “If no one saves me, I shall drown for I cannot save myself. Please save me”
The second victim, however, intended to drown himself regardless of anyone who tried to save him. “I will drown” was not a call for help. It was a declaration of intent. In effect he was saying, “I will drown so go away and don’t bother me.” It is an act of will, not of circumstances.
It could be said that our salvation depends upon our use of will and shall. Some, regardless of their circumstances, refuse to allow Christ to save them. In effect, they are saying, “Go away, Jesus. I don’t want your help.” Others, in desperation, plead, “Please save me, Jesus, for I am drowning.”
Whom can the Savior save? Here, perhaps, another grammatical lesson is helpful—the difference between “can” and “may.” The question perhaps should not be, “Can the Savior save someone against their will?” but “May the Savior help someone against their will.” The answer is an emphatic NO! He may not save anyone against their will. One, because of the law of justice and two, because of the law of agency. Christ will not violate his own laws. Better put, Christ cannot violate his own laws. If he did, he would cease to be God.
Think of justice as the absolute law of the universe. One cannot separate God from law. Law is an extension of God. You cannot have one without the other. God is a God of perfect law and order. It is law that holds the universe together. There is no kingdom without law. The only thing standing between us and chaos is law. God not only creates through law, but God perfects, protects, justifies, and sanctifies us through law. That is true for all of his creations. Without law nothing would make sense. Nothing would be predictable. Nothing would be stable. Nothing would be conditional. We would live in an Alice in Wonderland world, full of stuff and nonsense, fantasy relying upon fantasy, whim upon whim. Those who think that Christ is not bound by law do not know Christ. Without law, everything would unravel. Law holds everything together. It is law that gives us freewill and agency.
