Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 33:65 (Autumn 2020)
Article: Is Faith Even A Tiny Part Of God’s Gift (Ephesians 2:8–9)?
Author: John Niemelä

JOTGES 33:65 (Autumn 2020) p. 53

Is Faith Even A Tiny Part Of God’s Gift (Ephesians 2:8–9)?

John H. Niemelä

Message of Life Ministries

Aurora, Colorado

I. Introduction

Is faith the gift of God? John MacArthur gives a standard Reformed statement that it is:

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast (2:8–9). Our response in salvation is faith, but even that is not of ourselves [but is] the gift of God. Faith is nothing that we do in our own power or by our own resources. In the first place we do not have adequate power or resources. More than that, God would not want us to rely on them even if we had them. Otherwise salvation would be in part by our own works, and we would have some ground to boast in ourselves. Paul intends to emphasize that even faith is not from us apart from God’s giving it.1

MacArthur then takes the direct route to faith as God’s gift when he claims that God gives unbelievers that faith. God does so in order that they can believe. That is, faith is the entirety of God’s gift. Most grace people assume that refuting the direct route closes the door on faith as God’s gift. But that is not so. Three interpretive options that allow the faith-as-God’s-gift theory have already appeared in the literature. These views take kai touto (“and this/that” in Eph 2:8) in one of three ways. The first is that this refers to faith as God’s gift. The

JOTGES 33:65 (Autumn 2020) p. 54

second is that this refers to faith as one of God’s three gifts. The third is that the phrase and this is used adverbially and introduces faith as God’s gift.

This article argues against all three views, closing the door on the notion that faith is even a tiny part of God’s gift in Eph 2:8. Finally, the correct alternative will be given. This approach stays true to this passage’s actual subject: eternal salvation is by grace.

II. View 1: Touto (“This”) Refers To Faith As God’s Gift

Despite being popular among Calvinists, this view faces huge hurdles. First, it disrupts the passage’s flow with a parenthesis. Second, it abandons Paul’s normal usage of neuter singular forms of the demonstrative pronoun houtos (“this”).

A. Distortion #1: Being Made Alive Precedes Faith

Few realize that tr...