Grace in Focus – Episode Summary

Title: Does Ephesians 1:12-13 Teach That Salvation Is a Two-Step Process, Believing Plus Trusting?
Host: Bob Wilkin (B), with guest Ken Yates (C)
Date: October 3, 2025
Duration: ~13 minutes

Main Theme

This episode dives into whether Ephesians 1:12-13 suggests salvation is a "two-step" process of both believing and trusting, or if the distinction is unnecessary and even misleading. Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates clarify these concepts in the context of Free Grace Theology, analyze common evangelical terminology, and discuss how translation choices can obscure the biblical message of assurance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener's Question and the Ephesians 1:12-13 Passage

• [01:03] A listener named Kit asks if Ephesians 1:12-13 teaches a two-step salvation process (believing, then trusting).
• Bob reads the passage (NKJV), noting the use of "trusted" and that in v.13, the word is in italics, indicating it's not in the Greek:
  • Quote, Bob: "In him you also trusted... but that's in italics because it's not in the Greek." (01:39)
• The question: Do you believe, and then have to trust? Or vice versa?

2. Definitions and Evangelical Confusion Over "Believing" vs "Trusting"

• [02:00] Bob observes some teach that belief is insufficient, and you "need to trust Him" in addition.
  • Quote, Bob: "I could hear a lordship salvation guy for example, saying believing is not enough. You need to... place your trust in Him or something like that?" (02:00)
• Ken recounts an evangelist saying, "Believing is not enough. You also have to trust Him," which confused people because the implications of "trust" were vague.
  • Ken: “He said...you need to trust him. And so you need to choose to trust him. And so now you believe certain facts, but then you trusted a person. What that trust of the person meant was very vague and ended up...a lot of people confused at that message.” (02:21)

3. Scriptural Usage – "Belief" vs. "Trust"

• [03:21] Ken points out that key salvation verses, like John 3:16, do not mention "trust," only "believe":
  • Quote, Ken: "If you think about John 3:16, it doesn't say anything about trust. It says whoever believes in him. And it doesn't say, belief is step one and trust is step two." (03:16)
• Bob observes people try to load more meaning into the gospel by invoking ‘trust’ (i.e., “placing all my trust in it for me”).

4. Problems with the Word "Trust"

• [03:43] Ken dislikes using "trust" for salvation, drawing analogies:
  • Trusting a doctor for surgery involves risk, no certainty—unlike gospel assurance.
  • Quote, Ken: “When we use the word trust, we don't mean something you're sure of, we mean something that you're relying on.” (04:13)
• Ken and Bob note "trusted" in Ephesians is a translation of elpidzo (to hope), not "trust" as used in English:
  • Quote, Ken: "It's unfortunate, I think, that they use the word trusted there because it's not even...It's the word el pzo, isn't it? And el pido means hope." (04:24)
  • Bob: “In verses 12 and 13, he's not even using the word trust, whatever we mean in English, right? He's saying we Jews were hoping in Christ first and now you all have joined the body of Christ Gentiles in verse 13.” (05:41)

5. Context of Ephesians 1:12-13

• [05:12] Both discuss how Paul refers to Jews ("we who hoped first") and Gentiles, and that "hope" here is not about eternal life, but the Messianic promise.
• The supposed two-step process isn't present in the original Greek or intent of the passage.

6. Biblical Language and Consistency

• [06:13] Ken: People shy away from “belief” for sounding merely intellectual, but biblical faith is simply being persuaded Jesus guarantees eternal life.
  • “You're believing that when Jesus says he who believes in me has everlasting life, that he's telling the truth.”
• Ken challenges listeners to survey how the Gospel of John always uses "believe," never "trust," for pistuo:
  • Quote, Ken: "The word pistuo, the verb to believe, occurs 99 times in the critical text, 100 times in the majority text. Guess how many times it's translated. Believe in English translations. All of them, always, never is it translated trust." (09:25)

7. Evangelical Use of "Trust" and Lordship Salvation Issues

• [09:42] Bob notes how commonly evangelicals use "trust," shifting the gospel toward works or commitment.
• Ken: “Trust implies, okay, I’m actually going to the doctor, getting on the table and letting him cut me open, right? ... It’s more than simply, let me give you the wheelbarrow illustration with Niagara Falls.” (09:46)

8. Illustrations: Wheelbarrow Analogy and Its Flaws

• [10:21] Ken recounts the popular illustration of believing a tightrope walker can push someone across Niagara Falls in a wheelbarrow:
  • People “believe” by shouting, but are told real belief requires getting in the barrel.
  • Ken's critique: "If this was like scripture, the moment I believed he could guaranteed to take a man across safely…you’d poof appear on the Canadian side.” (11:03)
  • True faith per John 3:16 isn’t a process or further action; once you believe, instant assurance and salvation result.

9. Conclusion: There Is Only One Step to Salvation

• [11:45] Main takeaway: Ephesians 1:12-13 references "hope" (expectation for Christ's coming), not a separate act of trust required after belief.
  • Bob: “When you remove that word trust there and just read it, then you’ll see: No, it’s when you believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit." (11:51)
• Only faith (belief) in Jesus is required for eternal life, not layered steps of trust, commitment, or works.
  • Ken: “No, there’s one condition only, and it’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s it.” (12:17)

Notable Quotes

• Ken Yates (03:16):
  “If you think about John 3:16, it doesn't say anything about trust. It says whoever believes in him. And it doesn't say, belief is step one and trust is step two.”

• Bob Wilkin (05:41):
  “In verses 12 and 13, he's not even using the word trust, whatever we mean in English, right? He's saying we Jews were hoping in Christ first and now you all have joined the body of Christ Gentiles in verse 13.”

• Ken Yates (11:03):
  “If this was like scripture, the moment I believed he could guaranteed to take a man across safely… you’d poof appear on the Canadian side. There would be no getting in the barrel. You would just, once you believe, you get across.”

• Ken Yates (12:17):
  “No, there's one condition only, and it's faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's it.”

Important Timestamps

• 01:03: Listener question and reading of Ephesians 1:12-13
• 03:16: Refuting the notion that believing and trusting are separate steps using John 3:16
• 04:13: Analogies about trust (doctor/surgery) and the linguistic issue in Ephesians
• 05:41: Jewish vs Gentile context in Ephesians 1:12-13 (“hoping in Christ”)
• 09:25: Challenge to find a translation that uses "trust" instead of "believe" in John
• 10:21: Niagara wheelbarrow illustration and why it's misleading
• 11:51: Restating the main interpretive point—“trust” isn’t present in the Greek

Overall Tone & Language

• The discussion is conversational, lighthearted at times (e.g., Kit Carson jokes), and unapologetically focused on clarifying Free Grace Theology.
• Repeated stress is placed on assurance based on Jesus' words alone, not on subjective acts of “trust.”
• The tone is passionate against gospel add-ons that diminish assurance or confuse the core message.

Final Takeaway

Ephesians 1:12-13 does not teach a two-step salvation of believing plus trusting. Salvation is by faith alone in Christ’s promise—nothing more, nothing less. Translation choices and evangelical habits of using “trust” can obscure the simple, scriptural call: Believe in Jesus for everlasting life, and you have it.

For further resources and articles on Free Grace Theology visit faithalone.org.