June 19, 2011 – Ephesians 1 – 2:10

1:13-14 appear to be saying that whatever act in which they were sealed with Christ, the footnotes indicate baptism is what is being referenced. But for those that may think otherwise, maybe it is someone’s initial profession of faith which is being described. Whatever may be being described, what came to my mind is the idea that this is a “first installment”, in other words, more will be needed to obtain salvation.

2:8-10 is another example of something that appears to put all the focus on faith in being a person’s salvation. We are saved through faith, which a gift of God and not by works so that we might not boast. Just this mean we are saved by faith alone or can it be interpreted differently. The way I see it, and no one has ever been able to explain this to me, but the idea of being saved by faith alone is an understanding that a person says the believe Christ is the son of God and died for their salvation and in making that profession is considered to be saved. First, isn’t that an action or work and Secondly wouldn’t that cause a person to boast and isn’t that what people are doing when the go around proclaiming their salvation and condemning others. Is a faith like that something Paul would promote from these two verses. Could he have been saying that our faith is a gift from God that allows us to be saved and influences us and that works alone are not enough so as to stop us from boasting in ourselves. Any works we do if not done with faith are of no avail, where as works done with the faith given to us by God are “good works that God has prepared in advance”. I think it is more easily understood under the Catholic doctrine of being saved by both faith and works rather than a faith alone doctrine which would, I believe, lead to the boasting that Paul warns against.

Plus, if we are saved by faith alone, which we have nothing to do with and is controlled by God alone, that seems to lean towards a double predestination theology.