Is one’s salvation dependant upon one’s works? 

Dear Reader,

        The Bible is very clear that salvation is a free gift from God to all mankind; it is not dependant upon any “works lest any should boast.”  The Bible puts it this way, (Eph 2:8 KJV)  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Eph 2:9 KJV)  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Sin is in everyone; none can help being sinful; we all inherited a sinful, fallen nature form our parents; we are all bent to sin.  Since we cannot help our sinfulness, we can neither make ourselves pure nor righteous.  No one can make himself or herself sinless.  Again the Bible says: (Rom 3:12 KJV)  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  

        It is only the creative power of God that can reverse the effects of sin in us and in the world.  And because of his great love for sinful man God has devised a plan to save man which involves the following: 1) That God would in Christ offer himself as the sacrifice for man’s sins; 2) That man recognise his sinful state; and, 3) That restoration will depend upon man’s acceptance of this free gift of salvation.  There is no other way out for lost man.  It is only through God that all men are saved; and it is only by accepting this free gift that we will be saved.  The prophet Isaiah tells us, (Isa 45:22 KJV)  Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.  And Luke, writing of the grace of God in Jesus, in the Acts of the Apostles says, (Acts 4:12 KJV)  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.  

Now that we know that our salvation is a free gift which we must accept if we are to be saved from sin, do we have to have any “works” ourselves?  The answer of course is yes.  We have to do good deeds; all our sinful acts have to be stopped.  But is vitally important to remember that these good works do not in any way save us. It is also important to remember that all our good deeds are only through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. And it is only through God that we can do good deeds. We read in phil. 4:13 that we can do all things through Christ who dwells in us. And in Phil. 2:13 that it is God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Our works or good deeds are important, but they are accomplished through the Holy Spirit living in us. And at the same time we do them not as a means to salvation, but because of God’s love for us. If we refuse to do good deeds then it means that we simply do not have a relationship with God.

        We are already saved in Jesus when we accepted His pardon for our sins.   We do lovely things for our spouses and families not because we want to love them, but because we do love them.  So also with “works;” we do works because we love God and are saved by His love in Jesus.  Yes, friend, salvation is a free gift; would you not accept it now if you have not done so already?  Tomorrow could be too late.  God bless       

Pastor Ron is a retired Adventist pastor. Reach him at ron.hende@gmail.com. with your comments.