What does it mean to be saved by grace?
Grace is a central concept in Christian theology that refers to the unmerited favor and mercy that God shows humanity. Salvation by grace means that God saves people not based on their own merits or works, but purely by his own gracious choice. This doctrine contrasts with the belief that salvation must be earned through good works or spiritual effort.
The Bible clearly teaches that people are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Passages like Ephesians 2:8-9 state this unambiguously: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Salvation does not originate from anything we do to earn it, but only through God’s sovereign grace and the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
The grace that saves us is an expression of God’s love, mercy and benevolence that is freely given to those who have faith in Christ. It cannot be earned through human effort or ritual observance. As Romans 3:20 says, “no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law.” Our own works are like filthy rags before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). There is absolutely nothing we can do to save ourselves—we are totally dependent on God’s grace.
This does not mean, however, that good works have no place in the Christian life. But they are the result of salvation, not the cause of it. Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” So while we are not saved by good works, once we are saved by grace we are empowered by the Spirit to do good for the glory of God. But these works do not earn salvation. Salvation rests on grace alone through faith alone.
The doctrine of salvation by grace gives all the glory to God. It eliminates any grounds for human boasting since salvation does not originate from anything we do (Ephesians 2:9). There is no place for pride or self-reliance. Our only proper response is humility, thankfulness and joy that God would save those who deserved wrath. This produces heartfelt worship of God for the amazing grace he has shown us. As 1 Peter 2:9-10 states, those saved by grace now proclaim the excellencies of the one who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light.
The Bible uses several images to describe the grace that saves us:
1. Redemption – We are ransomed and redeemed from sin through the atoning work of Christ (Ephesians 1:7). Just as slaves were purchased out of bondage, we are bought out of slavery to sin by Jesus’ blood.
2. Justification – God declares us righteous by grace through faith, not because we earned it but because of Christ’s righteousness credited to us (Romans 3:24). Our sins are forgiven and we are seen as just in God’s sight.
3. Regeneration – When we are saved by grace, we are born again and made spiritually alive by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). God breathes new life into our dead souls.
4. Adoption – God graciously makes us his children and grants us full rights as heirs of his kingdom through faith in Christ (Ephesians 1:5). By grace we are adopted into God’s family.
This salvific grace has its origins in the eternal love and good pleasure of God. It is grounded in the covenant of redemption between the Father and Son before the foundation of the world. Although humanity rebelled against God in the fall, God already planned in eternity past to redeem and reconcile a people for himself by grace alone for his own glory. And so the mission of Jesus to die on the cross as a sacrifice for sins was a manifestation of this predetermined grace.
The Old Testament speaks frequently of God’s grace. The nation of Israel itself was chosen by grace and redeemed from Egypt by grace. They did not earn God’s favor through their own righteousness, but received it as an act of divine mercy. Throughout their history, God pleaded with Israel by his prophets to turn from idols and find forgiveness and restoration through his grace. The prophets looked forward to a future outpouring of God’s Spirit that would produce greater obedience to the law. This anticipated the fullness of grace that came in Christ.
The gospel of grace reached its climax at the incarnation. Jesus embodied the grace, truth and love of God in human flesh (John 1:17). He perfectly fulfilled the requirements of the law and exemplified what human obedience to God’s commands should look like. Yet Christ’s sinless life qualified him to be the perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins that the rest of humanity could never pay for on our own. The innocent took the place of the guilty.
Jesus accomplished completely the salvation that was impossible for us to earn ourselves. As Hebrews 7:25 declares, “he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” The Son of God who shared our humanity graciously gave his life to redeem us from condemnation and secure our justification. There is salvation in no other name than Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
When Jesus went to the cross, he declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). He meant that the sacrificial system was complete. The obligations of the law had been fully satisfied on our behalf. The salvation that was promised from old was now accomplished in history. No more sacrifices or good deeds would ever be necessary again. The atoning work of Christ fully paid the debt of sin that a grace-filled God mercifully placed upon his own Son rather than on us.
This free salvation is granted to those who respond in repentance and faith. The offer has universal scope—it is extended to all humanity without exception. As 1 Timothy 2:4 states, God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” Anyone who hears the gospel and believes in Christ will be saved by the grace purchased at the cross. But we must accept God’s grace through faith, since without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Though salvation is free, God will not force it on anyone against their will. It must be received as the gift that it is.
When a person places sincere faith in the person and work of Christ, trusting him alone for salvation, they are forgiven, cleansed, redeemed, justified and granted new spiritual life. They become a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Holy Spirit takes up residence within them and they are adopted as heirs of God’s kingdom. Immediately they have a new legal standing before God—they are declared righteous in his sight.
This forensic declaration of justification is crucial. To “justify” means to declare righteous—it is a legal term. So justification refers to God crediting to our account the perfect righteousness of Christ, even though we are still practically imperfect. By grace our sins are no longer counted against us, and Christ’s righteousness is counted for us even though it is not inherently ours. Justification does not make us righteous in practice, but gives us a new status of righteousness in God’s courtroom.
Sanctification, on the other hand, is the lifelong process of being conformed to the image of Christ through the indwelling Spirit. Justification happens instantly, but sanctification occurs progressively over time. Positional sanctification begins at conversion, but practical sanctification takes a lifetime as God trains us in righteousness through suffering and obedience. But our sanctification has no impact on our justification. We are declared righteous by grace from start to finish.
This is why salvation must be by grace alone through faith alone. Sanctification is never complete in this life—we always fall short of God’s perfect standards. If we had to depend on our own spiritual progress for salvation, we would fail. No amount of good works or spiritual discipline qualifies us for heaven. But thankfully our justification is not based on our sanctification. We are counted righteous not because we are inherently righteous, but because by faith alone we are clothed with the foreign righteousness of Christ.
On the day of judgment, there will be many who plead their own goodness and works before the Lord, hoping to merit salvation. But Jesus said that on that day he will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me” (Matthew 7:23). Why? Because they trusted in their own righteousness rather than trusting in Christ alone. They rejected salvation by grace.
As a result, they will face God’s judgment without the protecting shield of Christ’s righteousness to cover them. Like filthy rags, their own righteousness will quickly burn away in the fire of God’s justice, leaving their sin exposed. They will be condemned to hell, excluded from God’s presence forever. Only those who trust completely in God’s grace will pass through the fires of judgment unharmed. Good works prove faith, but they do not earn salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 could not be more clear: salvation is “not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
So how should we then live if we are saved by grace? First, we should rejoice with immense gratitude that we have been so richly blessed. Our hearts should overflow with thanksgiving toward God for his marvelous grace toward us. We should never boast before God or others about our own goodness, since we have nothing that was not first given to us freely (1 Corinthians 4:7).
Second, having received such mercy ourselves, we should extend the same grace toward others. The parable of the unforgiving debtor (Matthew 18:21-35) teaches that those who have been forgiven much by God’s grace should in turn be quick to forgive the sins and offenses of their fellow man.
Third, God’s grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness (Titus 2:11-12). Grace does not give us a license to sin. Rather, it empowers us to resist temptation and pursue increasing holiness out of love and gratitude to God. As evidence and fruit of true saving faith, we strive to keep God’s commands, walk in good works and grow in sanctification – while recognizing that our right standing with God depends on grace from start to finish.
In summary, to be saved by grace means we can take no credit for our own salvation. It is the free gift of a loving God who showed mercy to undeserving sinners. All praise and honor belong to Jesus Christ, who secured our redemption. By faith alone we receive this amazing grace, and by grace alone we will stand on the last day. Soli Deo Gloria!