Paul makes it even clearer: salvation is not of works.
If works could save, grace would not be necessary. If man could earn Heaven, Christ did not need to die. If human effort could redeem the soul, Calvary would have been unnecessary.
But the Bible teaches that salvation is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.
Grace and works cannot be mixed as the basis of salvation. If it is by grace, then it is not of works. If it is by works, then it is no more grace (Romans 11:6, Titus 3:5).
Works Cannot Save
Many people are trying to earn what only Christ can give.
They are trying to be good enough, religious enough, moral enough, or faithful enough. But Isaiah says even our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. That is not speaking about our sin. That is speaking about the best we can offer in our own strength.
That is humbling.
Our goodness cannot satisfy a holy God. Our religious deeds cannot remove sin. Our morality cannot wash the soul clean.
Only Jesus can save (Isaiah 64:6).
Boasting Is Removed at the Cross
Paul says salvation is not of works, “lest any man should boast.”
If we could earn salvation, Heaven would be filled with boasting.
People would say:
“I earned this.”
“I deserved this.”
“I was better than others.”
“I did enough.”
But no one will stand in Heaven and boast in themselves.
All glory belongs to Christ.
The multitude around the throne will not cry, “Salvation to our works.” They will cry, “Salvation to our God… and unto the Lamb.”
Grace removes pride. Grace removes personal credit. Grace removes self-reliance. Grace directs every eye to Jesus Christ (Revelation 7:9-10, 1 Corinthians 1:31).
Paul Had Nothing to Boast In
If anyone could have boasted in religious achievement, Paul could have.
He had the religious pedigree. He had the zeal. He had the training. He had the outward works. But when Paul came to Christ, he counted it all as dung compared to knowing Jesus.
That is what grace does.
It causes us to stop trusting in who we are and start resting in who Christ is (Philippians 3:4-9).
Good Works Are the Result, Not the Root
This does not mean good works do not matter. They do matter. But they are not the root of salvation; they are the fruit of salvation.
An apple tree does not become an apple tree by producing apples. It produces apples because it is an apple tree.
In the same way, Christians do not do good works in order to become saved. They do good works because they have been saved.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
We are saved by grace, through faith, not by works-but we are saved unto good works (Titus 3:8, Ephesians 2:10, Titus 2:14).
Source Coverage: Ephesians 2:1-10
Sin is the death of the soul. A man dead in trespasses and sins has no desire for spiritual pleasures. When we look upon a corpse, it gives an awful feeling. A never-dying spirit is now fled, and has left nothing but the ruins of a man. But if we viewed things aright, we should be far more affected by the thought of a dead soul, a lost, fallen spirit. A state of sin is a state of conformity to this world. Wicked men are slaves to Satan. Satan is the author of that proud, carnal
disposition which there is in ungodly men; he rules in the hearts of men. From Scripture it is clear, that whether men have been most prone to sensual or to spiritual wickedness, all men, being naturally children of disobedience, are also by nature children of wrath. What reason have sinners, then, to seek earnestly for that grace which will make them, of children of wrath, children of God and heirs of glory! God's eternal love or good-will toward his creatures, is the fountain whence all his
mercies flow to us; and that love of God is great love, and that mercy is rich mercy. And every converted sinner is a saved sinner; delivered from sin and wrath. The grace that saves is the free, undeserved goodness and favour of God; and he saves, not by the works of the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus. Grace in the soul is a new life in the soul. A regenerated sinner becomes a living soul; he lives a life of holiness, being born of God: he lives, being delivered from the guilt of sin,
by pardoning and justifying grace. Sinners roll themselves in the dust; sanctified souls sit in heavenly places, are raised above this world, by Christ's grace. The goodness of God in converting and saving sinners heretofore, encourages others in after-time, to hope in his grace and mercy. Our faith, our conversion, and our eternal salvation, are not of works, lest any man should boast. These things are not brought to pass by any thing done by us, therefore all boasting is shut out. All is the
free gift of God, and the effect of being quickened by his power. It was his purpose, to which he prepared us, by blessing us with the knowledge of his will, and his Holy Spirit producing such a change in us, that we should glorify God by our good conversation, and perseverance in holiness. None can from Scripture abuse this doctrine, or accuse it of any tendency to evil. All who do so, are without excuse.
Paul makes it even clearer: salvation is not of works.
If works could save, grace would not be necessary. If man could earn Heaven, Christ did not need to die. If human effort could redeem the soul, Calvary would have been unnecessary.
But the Bible teaches that salvation is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.
Grace and works cannot be mixed as the basis of salvation. If it is by grace, then it is not of works. If it is by works, then it is no more grace (Romans 11:6, Titus 3:5).
Works Cannot Save
Many people are trying to earn what only Christ can give.
They are trying to be good enough, religious enough, moral enough, or faithful enough. But Isaiah says even our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. That is not speaking about our sin. That is speaking about the best we can offer in our own strength.
That is humbling.
Only Jesus can save (Isaiah 64:6).
Boasting Is Removed at the Cross
Paul says salvation is not of works, “lest any man should boast.”
If we could earn salvation, Heaven would be filled with boasting.
People would say:
“I earned this.”
“I deserved this.”
“I was better than others.”
“I did enough.”
But no one will stand in Heaven and boast in themselves.
All glory belongs to Christ.
The multitude around the throne will not cry, “Salvation to our works.” They will cry, “Salvation to our God… and unto the Lamb.”
Grace removes pride. Grace removes personal credit. Grace removes self-reliance. Grace directs every eye to Jesus Christ (Revelation 7:9-10, 1 Corinthians 1:31).
Paul Had Nothing to Boast In
If anyone could have boasted in religious achievement, Paul could have.
He had the religious pedigree. He had the zeal. He had the training. He had the outward works. But when Paul came to Christ, he counted it all as dung compared to knowing Jesus.
That is what grace does.
It causes us to stop trusting in who we are and start resting in who Christ is (Philippians 3:4-9).
Good Works Are the Result, Not the Root
This does not mean good works do not matter. They do matter. But they are not the root of salvation; they are the fruit of salvation.
An apple tree does not become an apple tree by producing apples. It produces apples because it is an apple tree.
In the same way, Christians do not do good works in order to become saved. They do good works because they have been saved.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
We are saved by grace, through faith, not by works-but we are saved unto good works (Titus 3:8, Ephesians 2:10, Titus 2:14).
Sin is the death of the soul. A man dead in trespasses and sins has no desire for spiritual pleasures. When we look upon a corpse, it gives an awful feeling. A never-dying spirit is now fled, and has left nothing but the ruins of a man. But if we viewed things aright, we should be far more affected by the thought of a dead soul, a lost, fallen spirit. A state of sin is a state of conformity to this world. Wicked men are slaves to Satan. Satan is the author of that proud, carnal
disposition which there is in ungodly men; he rules in the hearts of men. From Scripture it is clear, that whether men have been most prone to sensual or to spiritual wickedness, all men, being naturally children of disobedience, are also by nature children of wrath. What reason have sinners, then, to seek earnestly for that grace which will make them, of children of wrath, children of God and heirs of glory! God's eternal love or good-will toward his creatures, is the fountain whence all his
mercies flow to us; and that love of God is great love, and that mercy is rich mercy. And every converted sinner is a saved sinner; delivered from sin and wrath. The grace that saves is the free, undeserved goodness and favour of God; and he saves, not by the works of the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus. Grace in the soul is a new life in the soul. A regenerated sinner becomes a living soul; he lives a life of holiness, being born of God: he lives, being delivered from the guilt of sin,
by pardoning and justifying grace. Sinners roll themselves in the dust; sanctified souls sit in heavenly places, are raised above this world, by Christ's grace. The goodness of God in converting and saving sinners heretofore, encourages others in after-time, to hope in his grace and mercy. Our faith, our conversion, and our eternal salvation, are not of works, lest any man should boast. These things are not brought to pass by any thing done by us, therefore all boasting is shut out. All is the
free gift of God, and the effect of being quickened by his power. It was his purpose, to which he prepared us, by blessing us with the knowledge of his will, and his Holy Spirit producing such a change in us, that we should glorify God by our good conversation, and perseverance in holiness. None can from Scripture abuse this doctrine, or accuse it of any tendency to evil. All who do so, are without excuse.