Salvation
Salvation is obtained by faith plus good works |
Many
people who claim to be Christians believe that a man is saved not only by
faith but by faith plus good works. In other words, they believe that salvation
is obtained by good works or personal merits, for that’s the true meaning of
their statement ‘not by faith alone.’ Here is a series of statements against
the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone, made by different
people. |
Jehovah’s Witnesses: ‘Some
suggest that belief in Jesus is the end of the matter …. However, to
concentrate on only one essential requirement of salvation to the exclusion
of the others is like reading one crucial clause in a contract and ignoring
the rest …. Yes, there are various things involved in getting saved. We must
take in accurate knowledge of God’s purposes and his way of salvation. Then
we must exercise faith in the Chief Agent of salvation, Jesus Christ, and do
God’s will the rest of our lives (‘What We Must Do to Be saved’, The Watchtower, |
Mormons: ‘We believe that through
the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws
and ordinances of the Gospel’ (Articles 3 of the Articles of Faith). Now,
that you may understand the meaning of this statement I cite some words
written in one official Mormon publication titled What The Mormons Think of Christ by B. R. McConkie: ‘…. All men,
by the grace of God, have the power to gain eternal life. This is called
salvation by grace coupled with obedience to the laws and ordinances of the
gospel. Hence Nephi was led to write: ‘We labor diligently to write, to
persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be
reconciled to God; for we know it is by grace that we are saved after all we
can do’. Christian speaks often of the blood of Christ and its cleansing
power. Much that is believed and taught on this subject, however, is such
utter nonsense and so palpably false that to believe it is to lose one’s
salvation. Many go so far, for instance, as to pretend and at least, to
believe that if we confess Christ with our lips and avow that we accept Him
as our personal Saviour, we are thereby saved. His blood, without other act
then mere belief, they say, makes us clean …. Finally in our day, he has said
plainly: ‘My blood shall not cleanse them if they hear me not’ …. Salvation in
the |
The followers of Herbert Armstrong
affirm: ‘But how the god of this world would blind
your eyes to that! He tries to deceive you into thinking all there is to it
is just ‘accepting Christ’ with ‘no works’ – and presto-chango, you are
pronounced ‘Saved’. But the Bible reveals that none is yet ‘saved’ (Why Were You Born?, page 11), ‘People have been
taught, falsely, that ‘Christ completed the plan of salvation on the Cross’ –
when actually it was only begun there. The popular denominations have taught,
‘Just believe – that’s all there is to it; believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and you are that instant saved!’ That teaching is false! And because of
deception – because the true Gospel of Jesus Christ has been blotted out, lo
these 1900 years by the preaching of a false gospel about the person of
Christ – and often a false Christ at that – millions today worship Christ –
and all in vain! The blood of Christ does not finally save any man. The death
of Christ merely paid the penalty of sin in our stead – it wipes the slate
clean of past sins – it saves us merely from the death penalty – it removes
that which separated us from God and reconciles us to God. But we are saved –
that is, given immortal life – by Christ’s life, not by His death (Romans |
Christadelphians: ‘What
else is necessary for salvation besides faith? ‘Works’ – that is obedience to
God’s commands as taught by Jesus’ (The
Christadelphian Instructor, page 39); ‘Belief, baptism, and obedience (in
that order) are the essential steps to salvation, page 2). |
The |
Catholics also
teach that salvation is by faith plus good works. However, their doctrine on
salvation is quite complex and very different from the above mentioned ones,
so I have decided to refute it separately.
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Confutation |
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The
Scripture teaches that Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose again
for our justification (cf. Romans |
Brothers,
know this, that we, who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, have been
saved from our sins, as it is written: “When the kindness and the love of God
our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration
and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4-5 – NKJV); we have been justified
and reconciled to God, as it is written: “Therefore, having been justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 –
NKJV) and: “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by
wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through
death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight” (Colossians
1:21-22 – NKJV); we have been forgiven, for it is written that “in Him we
have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the
riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7 – NKJV); we have been begotten by God and
made His children as it is written: “But as many as received Him, to them He
gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name;
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God” (John 1:12-13 – NKJV); we have eternal life, as it is
written: “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who
has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God,
that you may know that you have eternal life ….” (1 John 5:11-13 – NKJV). |
Let me
conclude by saying the following things: the Scripture clearly states that
“the just shall live by faith” (Hebrews 10:38 – NKJV) and not by faith plus
works, and that “by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Galatians
2:16 – NKJV), and also that all those who rely upon the works of the law are
under the curse of the law, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does
not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do
them” (Galatians 3:10 – NKJV). Therefore, I exhort you to beware of all those
who teach that in order to be saved you must keep the law (tithing, Sabbath,
Jewish feasts, etc.), for they lie against the truth and want to deceive you.
Christ accomplished a perfect work through His death and His resurrection, and
consequently His work does not need to be completed by anyone nor by any
human work, and you are already saved by your faith in what He has
accomplished. So, beloved, continue to have full confidence in what He did
for you. Let no one deceive you with empty words. |