Salvation is just by faith and not by works

[cath]

There is no verse which says we are saved by faith alone.

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Works are an expression of our faith. They don't save us.

[thereselittleflower]

There is no verse which says we are saved by faith alone.

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Works are an expression of our faith. They don't save us.

 

That's right, not by works of the Law.     Christians do not keep the Mosaic Law, and those christians who tried to do so to make it a requirement for salvation were told by Paul that it is not by keeping the Law, by doing the works of the Law, but by Grace.

 

• Galatians 2:16 - "Yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in/of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in/of Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law." (see all of Gal 2:15—3:14)
• Romans 3:28 - "For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law." (see all of Rom 3:21—4:25)

He said nothing specifically about works of charity, good works, done in and through and by Grace in these verses or the one you quoted.  That was not his focus in these verses.

Edited August 27, 2015 by thereselittleflower

[cath]

There is no verse which says we are saved by faith alone.

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Works are an expression of our faith. They don't save us.

 

That's right, not by works of the Law.     Christians do not keep the Mosaic Law, and those christians who tried to do so to make it a requirement for salvation were told by Paul that it is not by keeping the Law, by doing the works of the Law, but by Grace.

He said nothing specifically about works done in and through and by Grace.  That was not his focus

Yes. and he followed those verses I said earlier with (sorry I accidentally cut it out before!):  10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

And in Galations, Paul talks about dying to himself, and living for God (which would entail good works):

15“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in^d Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

17“But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

19“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

 

[thereselittleflower]

There is no verse which says we are saved by faith alone.

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Works are an expression of our faith. They don't save us.

 

That's right, not by works of the Law.     Christians do not keep the Mosaic Law, and those christians who tried to do so to make it a requirement for salvation were told by Paul that it is not by keeping the Law, by doing the works of the Law, but by Grace.

He said nothing specifically about works done in and through and by Grace.  That was not his focus

 

Yes. and he followed those verses I said earlier with (sorry I accidentally cut it out before!):  10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

And in Galations, Paul talks about dying to himself, and living for God (which would entail good works):

15“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in^d Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

17“But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

19“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

 

Yes indeed.  

[enoob57]

There is no verse which says we are saved by faith alone.

No it's is a whole chapter Hebrews 11 ... When one ingests God Word-> faith springs forth in belief that needs nothing else!
To be loved by God 'IS' to fill oneself with His Word and no other prerequisites! It causes 'a new being' to want only His Being
to have 'the way' within itself... love, Steven

 

Edited August 27, 2015 by enoob57

[other one]

Good point noob....  but I would say that if there are no works I would question ones faith.  I just don't believe that one can reach the point of salvation and set and do nothing.  Without faith works are hollow.

 

I will say though that in Matthew chapter 25 there is a group of people going to heaven that didn't expect it and the reason Jesus gives involves works.

[peacemakerIND]

YES salvation is free gift.. no payment for that..

we are saved by grace not by works ,, not to boast.. Eph 2:8

Many missions and churches are encouraging people to do some thing in practice

Very sad to see this...

In my country i saw many ministers and missions are proclaiming word of God to depend on their works

AGAPE  love is great in all,, God's love is every great to provide the free salvation to us

Because He is love and Because he is loving us,, 

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Are not any works we do ( as sanctified believers ) God's work, and not our own?

[robin hood]

Is our faith not a "work" ?  

Is our co-operation with the grace of God on whom we are totally dependent not a "work" ? 

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

My question is "who's works" are they?

Did your works save you, or were you saved to do His work?