2:9
“not by works so that no one can boast”. Paul laid a significant emphasis on boasting, or rather the fact that boasting is completely ruled out in the gospel (eg Rom 3:27; 4:2; 1 Cor 1:29; 9:16; Gal 6:14 etc). Paul so it as crucial that there was no way in which anyone could claim any credit for their salvation, for their righteousness. Under the gospel we are saved purely by grace, purely as a result of God’s mercy towards us.
2:10
We are God’s handiwork, we are the product of what He has done. We are the product of His work in creation in the first place, for the very fact that we exist at all. We are righteous only because of the work of Christ on the cross. And we are the product of the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But while we are no saved by good works, we were saved for good works. God saved us for a purpose. When we talk of being saved purely by God’s work some people get nervous that we are mere actors in a play written by God. We should quickly dispel all such notions. God has work for us to do, He fully involves us in His plans and purposes upon the earth.
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