The fall of humanity into sin resulted in human beings losing the glory of God. The word “loss” in the original text is hysterountai (ὑστεροῦνται), from the verb hystereō (ὑστερέω), which has several meanings: to be inferior, to fall short, to be deficient, to be destitute, to fail, to lack, to suffer need, or to be worse. It conveys the sense of becoming low, failing because of lack, becoming impoverished, suffering, being in need, and becoming worse. Thus, the condition of humanity after the fall into sin is a condition that no longer attains God’s original purpose or design. Human existence becomes fragmented, incomplete, and inadequate. Salvation in Jesus Christ aims to restore humanity to God’s original design, so that human beings may once again possess the glory of God. Salvation is intended to give people the opportunity to rediscover the lost glory of God, to seek and put on that glory once again.
However, this glory of God is not obtained automatically. When a person becomes a Christian or confesses faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, it does not mean they automatically possess the glory of God. All of this must be pursued through struggle. This is parallel to the Kingdom of God, which is given freely, yet living under its rule is not free of effort; it must be fought for. A saltwater fish cannot live in freshwater. Its nature must first be changed so that it can live and swim in fresh water. The same applies to salvation. If salvation is understood as God’s effort to restore humanity to the original design, then salvation is not merely a ticket to heaven. To open the door of heaven, indeed, no one can do so except Jesus Christ. Without merit, without works, that door is opened.
That is why Paul says, “Do not boast,” because salvation is not the result of human effort. Yet, to enter and live in the Kingdom of God, human nature must be transformed. Therefore, when Ephesians 2:8–9 says, “It is not the result of your own effort; so that no one may boast,” this verse must not be understood to mean that salvation is automatically possessed. On the contrary, the following verses—Ephesians chapters 3 and 4—emphasize: “Put off the old self, put on the new self to live in true righteousness and holiness, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Many people stop at the phrases “not the result of your own effort” and “not because of good works.” Yet the fundamental question is: what is meant by salvation itself? Salvation must be properly understood.
We must not think that simply believing in Jesus means that when we die, we will automatically enter heaven. That is not the case. If the condition of our lives is still in disarray, we will not enter heaven. The Word of God firmly states that “not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father.” Nothing unclean can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. If a person still steals, harbors hatred and resentment, lives in sexual immorality, has a filthy mouth, delights in hurting others, and is indifferent to the feelings of others, that person will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. One cannot live in peace and fellowship with God if one is not in a condition that is worthy before Him. That is why the Word of God says, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” and the Lord Jesus commands, “Make disciples of all nations.”
However, very few people truly understand this and genuinely strive for it. Many Christians feel they already possess grace and are at peace with God, and therefore no longer face serious struggles in living out their Christian life. As a result, not a few Christians live in the same ordinary way as those who do not know God. They live like Esau, who exchanged his birthright for a bowl of food. Esau actually possessed the birthright, but he did not value it, guard it, or fill it with the right substance. He despised it and traded it for momentary pleasure.
Likewise, when we confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, that confession must be accompanied by a struggle to regain the glory of God—the glory of God; tēs doxēs tou Theou (τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ). The word doxēs comes from doxa (δόξα), which means brightness, radiance, splendor. Therefore, we must strive to work out our salvation so that our lives become a manifestation of the glory of God—a manifestation of God’s excellent power, glory, and majesty. Even if we are materially poor, unattractive in appearance, or do not hold high positions, we can still radiate the glory of God through a transformed life.