Can a Person Be Saved by His Good Works?
By Mike White, 7th Jan 2012 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutFamilyReligion
Can a person be saved by his good works? Many groups say yes. The Bible says no.
- Can a Person be Saved by His Good Works or Doing Good?
- Other Groups
- What Does the Bible Say?
- More Contradictions
- Believe the Bible
Can a Person be Saved by His Good Works or Doing Good?
Do your good works play a part in your salvation, or your sins being forgiven by God? If you ever want to go to heaven, do you have to be careful to have good works to get there?
If you listen to some, the answer is yes. In an article, "What Must We Do to be Saved," on the official Website of one popular group, the answer given is that one has to believe in Jesus and "it does require effort on our part. Thus, 'accepting Christ' involves far more than just accepting the blessings that Jesus' superlative sacrifice offers. Obedience is required."
Consequently, those in this group hope they can knock on enough doors and tell enough people about their faith so that maybe their sins will be forgiven and God will let them into heaven. The problem is, if you read their article, you are never given a definitive answer of when one can know his sins are forgiven and he has a home in heaven.
Other Groups
Some so-called Christian groups even quote the Bible to "prove" that man needs to have good works to have a home in heaven. Let us look at the Bible ourselves, not only verses that show that man is saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone but also the verses they twist to prove their point.
What Does the Bible Say?
Ephesians 2:8-10 teach: "For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
What do these verses teach about saving faith? If you read them carefully they clearly show the faith to save ourselves is not our own, but "a gift of God." They show we are saved: "by grace, through faith." The verses say this about good works: that we are God's "workmanship created unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Who do the verses say cause us to do good works, ourselves? No, they say God. They do say we will have good works, because "God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Those verses certainly contradict what many Christian groups teach about good works. They do not say we must have them to be saved; but they say we will have them because we are saved.
More Contradictions
Ah, some say: James 2:24 teaches that a man is saved by works. Does it really? It only says that if you take it out of context, reading that verse alone and ignoring the verses around it.
James 2:21-26 teach: "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God. Ye see how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
Yes, if you read only James 2:24 by itself it seems to teach what some teach, but no verse should ever be read out of context. That is what the other verses are around it for, so we can understand what God meant and said. Verse 23 says: "Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness." Why does the Bible teach God counted Abraham for righteous, because of his work, not because he believed God. How does that contradict Ephesians? It does not! What about his work? The Bible teaches his "faith wrought with his works, and by works faith was made perfect." In other words, because he had a genuine faith, he had works. That does not contradict Ephesians 2:10 at all! It teaches the same thing.
Believe the Bible
My friend, if you are curious about the role of works in salvation, believe what the Bible says, that we are saved by faith in the shed blood and resurrection of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. Read John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 15: and Romans 10:9-13. Ask Jesus to be your Saviour and ignore what man says. Trust his cross.
Comments
8th Jan 2012 (#)
AMEN SIR! AMEN! please keep up the good work. i would like to read more.
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9th Jan 2012 (#)
I didn't see any Bible education listed in your profile but you have learned the truth somewhere and you are right on on your conclusion that Salvation is only through ones faith in Jesus. Ephesians 2:9 assures that works has nothing to do with it but aster one is Saved good works will be manifested in their life as one of the signs of salvation. According to James faith without works is dead
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12th Jan 2012 (#)
I do not have a Bible education per se. For awhile I did take one or two classes when my church briefly gave college level courses, but that did not last long. I learned the same way any believer can--from the Master Himself--as well as from good teachers in my life.
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