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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
The simple answer is that salvation by works seems right in the eyes of man. One of man's basic desires is to be in control of his own destiny, and that includes his eternal destiny. Salvation by w...
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James Kraft
Supporter
To believe that our works have anything to do with salvation is to nullify grace. It is to say that Jesus death on the cross is not good enough to save us. He paid a horrible price to pay our sin debt in full. If we deny that His finished work on the cross is good enough to save us, where is our hope. Can we hope in ourselves that we can make our selves good enough to go to heaven? Religion cannot save us. Religion is what we do to gain acceptance with God. Love is what we do because we are accepted by God. Many churches preach salvation by grace in one message, and then take it away in another. Paul said we are not to even mingle law with grace. After we are saved our works are done because we love God for saving us and will have some account to our rewards in heaven. How many good works do you have to do to go to heaven? If your salvation depends on you then you have no hope. Salvation by works is the Pharisee religion. They trusted in their own righteousness to be good enough to go to heaven. They were blind to their own sin. To not believe in Jesus finished work on the cross is nothing more than pride and selfrighteousness. I can be good enough to go to heaven. Put your faith and trust in Christ alone, and you will be saved. This is the message of the bible. Not from me. I don't make the rules. Lord, open the eyes of the blind today. Amen. "Yes Lord, I believe, now help me with my unbelief."
Ariel HaNaviy
Supporter
Why is salvation by works a commonly held viewpoint by non-believers, and some believers as well? I cannot speak for non-believing Gentiles since there is a plethora of false religions and ideologies in the world that touch on this question for unsaved Gentiles. Given my personal knowledge of Judaism, however, I would like to speak briefly about unsaved Jewish views of “salvation by works.” For my explanation, I need to divide the unsaved Jewish people into two types: 1) Historic Jews=those who lived from the birth of National Isra'el (basically the book of Exodus) up to the 1st century. 2) Traditional Jews=those living after the destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 AD until today. Historic Jews: It is somewhat difficult to ascertain precisely what unsaved Jewish people of the period of the TaNaKH (OT) held to for personal salvation, but we can be fairly certain it was NOT mere “works,” viz, commandment keeping or bringing sacrifices. In truth, salvation most definitely involved those aspects, but it was not rooted in these aspects. If the surviving Jewish works such as the Talmuds, midrashim, Dead Sea Scrolls, etc., have anything to contribute to the discussion, it would be that salvation was believed to be extended by God via one’s heritage in Isra'el as a Jew. We can see this in the way many Jews of the gospels demonstrated loyalty to what was called “the merit of the fathers,” Hebrew=”z’khut avot,” (Matt 3:9; Lk 3:8; Jn 8:39). In this view, a “good-standing, saved covenant member” was duty-bound to keep Torah and avoid idolatry. Thus, Torah became the “maintenance tool” used by the community, not to save the Jews, but to maintain their place in God’s covenant as “saved Jews.” Essentially, those we identify as unsaved Jews of the 1st century, held to a “nationalistic salvation,” where Jewish lineage guaranteed a good-standing Jew a place in the World to Come (i.e., heaven). We genuine believers KNOW that this is legalism (i.e., works), but those unsaved Jews did not term it legalism, because they did not feel they were “working” to gain it. In their eyes, Jewish ethnicity in National Isra'el was an act of grace. After all, those born with Jewish ethnicity did not “work” their way into that ethnicity, right? So you can see why they defined it as grace and not works. Paul often calls this “salvation by being Jewish” ideology “works of the Law” (Gal 2:15, 16). Traditional Jews: Since the destruction of the Temple, the Pharisaic Judaisms of the 1st century gave rise to rabbinic Judaism, and eventually to the Traditional Judaisms of the 21st century. Traditional Jews understand that without a Temple, much of the Torah cannot be kept anymore. To be sure, ritual impurity and sins associated with it cannot be atoned for by the sacrificial system anymore either. Traditional Jews still maintain their belief in Jewish heritage, but the emphasis has evolved from primarily “ethnicity” to now include “What must I do to make the world a better place for me and for everyone involved?” Thus, in Traditional Judaism, “salvation” is basically defined by these three things: 1) Doing charity 2) Repenting of sins 3) Praying the set-time prayer book prayers as dictated by the rabbis As with Historic Jews, Traditional Jews do not really see these three as “working their way into heaven.” Rather, they see these three as a replacement for the missing sacrificial system, and a way to demonstrate one’s Jewish loyalty to the covenant that God made with Isra'el. Basically, Traditional Jews see their salvation as grace, with these three concepts vindicating genuine covenant membership. Conclusions: Anything that bypasses faith in Yeshua as the ONLY way to be saved (Jn 14:6; Acts 4:12; Eph 2:8, 9) is basically a “work.” Unsaved Jewish people may not define their respective beliefs as “salvation by works” but make no mistake, that is what it truly is if they reject Yeshua’s gracious offer.
Janet Austin
Supporter
The discussion of salvation by works sometimes becomes an annoying syntax debate because Jesus’death/resurrection ALONE does not guarantee one’s salvation (otherwise Satan would be saved). One has to do something with that truth…and it’s the “doing something” that is often called “works.” However, the “works” God requires is not volunteer charity work or flogging oneself or such, but rather as Jesus said, in John 6:29 “This is the WORK of God: to believe in the One He has sent.” Once we BELIEVE, we then must CONFESS our sins and REPENT as we are told in 1 John and Acts. (1 John 1:8-9 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us. Acts 3:19a Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away) I think what Vincent Mercado said (“Faith and deeds are so closely interlinked that they are like two sides of a coin”) becomes evident in our believing, confession of sins and repentance. Certainly FAITH has to be put on the table because we have no salvation without believing, but likewise, without confessing our sins and repenting, we are not reconciled to God. Ask yourself this…Can one truly confess Jesus Christ as their Lord if one does not believe (confess in their own mind/heart) they are a sinner (since the whole point is that Jesus died for our sins)? And could a confession of that magnitude come from an unrepentant heart? And regarding this hypothetical person that we are imagining…did this person FIRST confess in their mind they are a sinner and then become repentant, and then finally, when they heard about Jesus, have an epiphany moment, OH MY GOSH, THERE IS MY LORD! (Faith in the promised Messiah!) I guess it doesn’t really matter which came first, but they all have to happen…whether they are called works or not.
Vincent Mercado
Supporter
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. c.f. James 2:14-24
Kathy King
Supporter
Michael did a good job to answer Anonymous’ question. I just wanted to comment on the works issue that was brought up. Jeremiah 17:9-10 KJVS [9] The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? [10] I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. This truly shows that our deeds (works), are judged and our just God will reward us accordingly. We are not being saved by God so that he will take us or keep us in eternity because we impressed him by our works. Whether a person is trusting fully in Christ Jesus for salvation or whether that person is a full blown atheist, both types of persons are capable of doing wonderful deeds for their fellow man. That’s great that good things are done and not evil things. But which person is gifted an eternal place with God? God knows their motives. Scripture says it’s the one who trusts in the Lord, who trusts in his Word because it’s the truth. So, if living on this earth means I’m going to be continually exposed to evil and/or secular deeds of naturally wicked hearts, I’m surely going to stay in God’s Word to know the difference between the evil deeds and our righteous, sinless God. And can works in the book of James be spoken of as fruit? We’re new creations in Christ therefore, we are learning not to do the things that kept us from God. God’s words throughout the entire Bible help us in that area through commandments, parables, prophets, examples, truths, and just knowing what he set up in the first 11 chapters of Genesis. And we already agree that salvation is a gift of God, not our works. Ephesians 2:8-9. And consider Abraham in Genesis 15:5-7 KJVS [5] And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. [6] And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. [7] And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. This was a gift from God to Abraham because Abraham believed, trusted, God. Abraham wasn’t perfect, he slipped up when he thought he was making a right decision for himself - like we all do on occasion. But God loved him. Romans 4:5 KJVS [5] But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Paul reminds us here in Romans that we just need to believe. John in John 3:16-17 says he truly loves the world of people. He doesn’t want to lose any but sadly many will refuse his gift. Some truly think they need to work for their salvation. He’s already done the most perfect work for us. If one thinks he can outdo Christ Jesus, he is mistaken. Hebrews 13:15-16 KJVS [15] By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. [16] But to do good and to communicate (share) forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Mark Vestal
Supporter
The problem can be narrowed down to 1 verse, (2 Tim 2:15). Too many today are not separating Paul's gospel of God's dispensation of grace (Eph 3:2) from that of the apostles given to biblical Israel (Matt 10:5-6, Matt 15:24). Christ's message to Paul, our gospel, differs from that of the 12 apostles to biblical Israel (James 1:1), who did works to prove their faith in 'times past' (Rom 11:6, James 2:24). We who are living during the dispensation of the grace of God (Eph 3:2) are to simply have faith in the finished cross-work of Jesus Christ (Rom 3:28, 1 Cor 1:23). Works for salvation actually put us into debt with God as this shows lack of faith (Rom 4:4). Basically, we do not work in order to be saved, we work because we are saved (Eph 2:10, Eph 4:12). Our apostle Paul received the revelation of the fellowship of the mystery from Christ ascended (Eph 3:9), which was before kept secret since the world began (Rom 16:25). Had this mystery information been known prior to Christ's death, the princes of this world would not have crucified Christ (1 Cor 2:8). A Christian is one who has faith in Jesus Christ being their savior (Eph 1:12-13). Faith is possessing belief that Jesus Christ died on the cross for the forgiveness of all our sins (1 Cor 15:3), was buried and rose again (1 Cor 15:4), so that we may have everlasting life (Rom 6:22, 1 Cor 15:22). The requirement for salvation today is much easier than in times past (2 Cor 11:3, Rom 3:21)! Although we may see results from a believer's life (works), we cannot know for certain that they possess the faith required for salvation as faith is an internal possession. Believers today are members of the church, the body of Christ (Col 1:24). God now sees Christ in us, and thankfully not who we see when we look in the mirror! When you’re a passenger in a vehicle, you have faith that the driver will safely get you to your destination. Jesus Christ is our driver, our ‘spiritual vehicle’ (Rom 5:10, Rom 8:32), and the Holy Spirit is our 'seat-belt' (Eph 4:30), that seals our souls until the day of redemption (Eph 1:13)!
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