Not by works of righteousness which we have
done
The great instance of the kindness and love of God our Saviour is
salvation; which the apostle denies that it is brought about by
any works, even the best works of men; for "works of
righteousness" are works done according to a righteous law, and
in obedience to it; and in a righteous manner, from right
principles of grace, in faith, and with a view to the glory of
God; or otherwise they are not righteous actions, or works of
righteousness; wherefore not works before, but after conversion,
are here meant; for works before conversion are not properly
works of righteousness: besides, these are such which we have
done, who formerly were as before described, but now are
regenerated and renewed by the Holy Ghost, and created in Christ
Jesus unto good works. Now salvation, neither in whole, nor in
part, is by these, either as causes; conditions, or means;
(See Gill on 2
Timothy 1:9); (hqdu
Myvem) , "works of righteousness", is a Jewish phrase used
for righteous or good works F26
but according to his mercy he saved us;
the mercy of God is natural and essential to him, but the actings
and exercise of it, towards this or the other objects, are
sovereign and free, and according to his will; the effects of it
are many, he is rich and abundant in it; and they are channelled
in, and flow forth through the blood and righteousness of Christ;
and this is the moving cause of salvation: this moved God to make
a covenant with his Son, the blessings of which are the sure
mercies of David, and in which God is merciful to the sins and
unrighteousnesses of his people; it is owing to the tender mercy
of God, that Christ, the dayspring from on high, has visited the
earth; and the glory of it is very conspicuous in the affair of
redemption by him; the pardon of sin is according to the
multitude of God's tender mercies; and regeneration springs from
the abundance of it; and even eternal life is the effect of it.
Now according to this, God has "saved" his people; salvation is
not only a thing determined, and resolved on in the mind of God,
but is actually and completely accomplished by Jesus Christ, and
an application of it is made to the saints in effectual calling;
and because of the certain enjoyment of the whole of it, even
eternal glory, the saints are said to be saved already; as they
are also in faith and hope, as well as in Christ, their head and
representative; (See Gill on Ephesians
2:8). It follows, as the means of salvation,
by the washing of regeneration,
and renewing of the Holy Ghost; by the former is meant, not the
ordinance of water baptism; for that is never expressed by
washing, nor is it the cause or means of regeneration; the cause
being the Spirit of God, and the means the word of God: and
besides, persons ought to be regenerated before they are
baptized; and they may be baptized, and yet not regenerated, as
Simon Magus; nor is it a saving ordinance, or a point of
salvation; nor can it be opposed to works of righteousness, as
this washing is; for that itself is a work of righteousness; see
( Matthew
3:15 ) and if persons were saved by that, they would be saved
by a work of righteousness, contrary to the text itself: but
regenerating grace is meant, or a being born of water, and of the
Spirit; that is, of the grace of the Spirit, comparable to water
for its purity and cleansing virtue: hence such who are
regenerated and sanctified, are said to be washed and cleansed,
having their hearts purified by faith, and their consciences
purged from sin by the blood of Christ: by the latter,
the renewing of the Holy Ghost,
is meant either the fruit and effect of the former, even newness
of life and conversation, under the influence of the Holy Spirit;
or else the gradual increase and progress of the work of grace
upon the soul, renewed day by day in the spirit of the mind, by
the Holy Ghost; or rather it means the same thing with
regeneration, and is added partly as explanative of the washing
of regeneration, showing that that is no other than the new
creature, the new man, the new heart, and new spirit, formed in
the soul, in the effectual calling; and partly to observe that
the Holy Ghost is the author of it. Now it is in this way God
saves his people, namely, by regenerating and renewing them; in
this is the first appearance and discovery of the love of God to
them; this is their open passage into a state of grace, and
without this there is no entrance into glory; this is the
foundation of all grace and good works, and by which saints
appear to be heirs of the heavenly inheritance.