KCU/04/The Gs

Topic 13: Saved by grace, faith, or works?

Question: Based on what you know from the Bible & other sources (including the Theology Matters reading), what roles do you think grace, faith, & works play respectively in Christian salvation? (Be sure to do more research into the issue. If the group cannot come to a consensus, feel free to have different group members each express their own opinions.)

Salvation, is it by grace, faith, or works? “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Each one of these verses alone may lead people into believing that they can get to Heaven with either grace alone, faith alone, or works alone. However, upon more research and reading more verses it is clear that you cannot have one without the other. They are all essential for salvation.

Grace is defined by Webster as beneficence or generosity shown by God to man; divine favor unmerited by man; a free gift of God to man for his regeneration or sanctification. Grace is a quality of God that is seen through his sending of Jesus Christ to die on the cross. Grace is not earned but given freely as a gift to man from God. Although, Paul makes it clear in Acts 20:32 that grace is the foundation of salvation it is not sufficient for salvation. In order to gain salvation one must believe in God’s grace.

This act of believing in grace leads us to faith. Faith is defined by Mirriam Webster as a belief and trust in and loyalty to God; it is a belief in the traditional doctrines of religion; trust; and something that is believed especially with strong conviction.

In Isaiah 64:6 it says, "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." This verse is saying that if one is not saved, all the good things done in life won't mean a thing on judgement day. The key is to accept Jesus Christ as savior and Lord, without this belief in faith good works are all done in vain.

In Acts 26:18 it says, "To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God so that they may receive forgivenss of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." This verse is saying until one is saved, the works that they are doing are not for God. One can not do good works for God, yet still be under Satan's control.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." This verse is saying that one is saved by God's grace and one's faith and belief in God's promises. The way to tell if someone has true faith is by their works and good fruits that should be evident in their lives.

Proverbs 15:8 says, "The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him." This verse is referring to when one does good works but is not saved, then they are not putting thier whole heart in it and they are not doing it for God, which very much displeases him.

2 John 1:10-11 says, "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him Godspeed for he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds." John is saying that God does not accept men's good works when they choose to reject him as Lord and savior. In the same way, Christians should not go along with what the world promotes. However, Christians should set a good example for others to follow and hopefully one day lead them to Christ. In modern times there is an idea that is rapidly spreading. This idea is that everyone's beliefs are equal and we should be accepting of those beliefs. However, the Bible strongly contradicts this. Christians should stand up for what they know is right, according to the Bible, and refuse to let their brothers and sisters go down the path of destruction. Thank goodness our works are not the only thing that gets us to heaven. When looking at the Bible, Jesus was perfect, and God is completely sinless. Obviously, if good works lead us to salvation alone their standards would be set way too high for men and women who sin everyday. It would take an eternity in hell to pay the price that Jesus has already paid if people would only believe in him.