How does John 6:29 connect to Ephesians 2:8-9 on salvation? Setting the Scene John 6 records a crowd pressing Jesus for guidance on what God expects. Ephesians 2 comes from Paul, explaining to believers how salvation actually happens. Side-by-side, the two passages form a seamless testimony that rescue from sin is entirely God’s doing and is entered into by believing. Exact Words • John 6:29: “Jesus replied, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.’” • Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” Shared Emphasis: Salvation Originates With God • Both texts start with God, not humanity. • Jesus calls belief “the work of God,” highlighting that God initiates and enables faith. • Paul echoes that salvation is “the gift of God,” eliminating any ground for self-credit. Believing as the ‘Work’ God Requires • The crowd in John 6 thought they needed to perform deeds like keeping ritual law or multiplying bread. • Jesus redirects them: the singular “work” is to believe Him. • This aligns with Acts 16:31 — “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” Grace and Faith: Two Sides of One Gift • Grace (God’s favor) supplies everything needed; faith is the hand receiving it. • Even that faith is “not from yourselves” (Ephesians 2:8). • Romans 3:28 and Titus 3:5 provide parallel affirmations that no moral or religious effort earns pardon. Harmony With the Rest of Scripture • John 3:16: God loved, God gave, whoever believes has life. • 1 John 5:11-12: Life is in the Son; possessing the Son equals possessing life. • All point back to God’s initiative and the necessity of trusting response. Personal Implications • Assurance rests on Christ’s finished work, not fluctuating performance. • Boasting is excluded; gratitude is fostered. • Evangelism stays centered on presenting Christ, not human self-improvement. Key Takeaways • God’s requirement (John 6:29) and God’s gift (Ephesians 2:8-9) converge: believe in Jesus. • Faith itself is granted by grace, so salvation is wholly God’s achievement. • Any good works that follow are the result, never the cause, of being saved (Ephesians 2:10). |
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