Salvation is secured by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. No other act (including baptism or keeping the law) can save a man, and failure to perform any single act (including baptism) will not condemn a man. Salvation includes forgiveness of sin, the reception of a new heart and spirit, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee or deposit of final salvation.

We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified (Gal. 2:17).

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The majority of the Christian church at least gives token assent to the idea that salvation is by faith apart from works. There is, however, a dangerous undercurrent in much of the church that seeks to add “works” back to the mix in a way that is reminiscent of the dispute in Acts 15 and the book of Galatians. As an example of that, it used to be taught (and still is taught in many quarters, either expressly or implicitly), “You are saved by grace, but kept by works.” Only one problem with that theology (well, many problems, really): Jesus never taught such a thing. Jesus said He would keep the believer, not their works. Paul gave a stinging rebuke to the Galatians for believing the same type of idea:

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:1-6).

Paul’s argument here is unmistakable. Salvation begins by faith and continues by faith. Law-keeping as a means of righteousness or obtaining favor with God has no place in the life of the believer. In fact, Paul even makes a stronger statement on the subject. He warns that:

if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace (Gal. 5:2-4).

In plain language, Paul is teaching that if you turn from faith as your source of righteousness to trying to keep the law, you are obligated to keep the whole law. Since that is an impossibility, you have then placed yourself under a curse and have been cut off from Christ (we won’t explore the implications of this now). It is impossible to walk in the realm of faith and the realm of law at the same time. You must choose.

Now, before the more practically-minded of you hit the delete button, let me hasten to add that “works” have a legitimate place in the life of the believer. As Paul says in Ephesians 2, salvation is by faith alone, but faith is never alone. Christ saves us not so that we can sit on the sideline waiting for Heaven’s Train, but so that we might go out and display His grace and love to others. Salvation involves change. The new heart and spirit that the believer receives desires to love, obey and serve God–and love and serve others. If that desire is not present, then a claim of salvation just might be suspect. James rightly said, “Faith without works is dead.”

BUT, we must maintain that our works do nothing to secure or improve our spiritual standing. They flow from, are a result of, our new identity. Thank God for answering David’s prayer in us!

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.   (Psalm 51:10-12)