Most evangelical Christians are very familiar with this pasage:
[Ephesians 2:8] 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.
This passage is probably the most misunderstood in the entire Bible. Most evangelical Christians are taught that we are saved by faith alone and that our works have nothing to do with our salvation. Holiness is optional and our good works only determine the rewards we will receive in heaven.
But that is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible doesn’t say that we are saved by faith alone—not even once.
The expression faith alone comes from Martin Luther, not from Jesus or the apostles. Ironically, the words ‘faith’ and ‘alone’ do occur together in the KJV Bible, but not in a positive context:
[James 2:17] Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
James goes on to say explicitly that we are not justified by faith alone.
[James 2:24] A person is justified by works and NOT by faith alone.
No wonder Martin Luther disliked the epistle of James and called it an epistle of straw, regarding it as less than fully inspired. He held a similar opinion about Hebrews, Jude and Revelation.
Unlike Luther, however, the Bible says that our works determine not only our rewards, but also our salvation. Eternal life is only for those who do good. In the inspired words of Paul, the faith and grace preacher:
[Romans 2:6-11] God will render to each one according to his WORKS: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who DOES evil, … but glory and honor and peace for everyone who DOES good, … For God shows no partiality.
How much clearer can it be?
If it’s still not clear, here is Jesus Himself saying the same:
[John 5:28-29] An hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have DONE good to the resurrection of life, and those who have DONE evil to the resurrection of judgment.
From the above verses it is clear that our works determine our eternal destiny. Those who do good receive eternal life. Those who do evil are condemned. It’s so clear that it takes a theologian to misunderstand it.
Many Christians are convinced they will go to heaven because they believe in Jesus, even if their lifestyle is indistinguishable from that of an unbeliever, because ‘we are saved by faith, not by works.’
That’s a lie from the pit of hell. Do not believe it!
If your lifestyle is no different from that of an unbeliever, not only will you not go to heaven, but you will receive a harsher punishment, because you sinned against greater light.
The unbeliever can at least plead ignorance.
God is a righteous judge who will judge everyone justly and fairly, based on what they did and on the light they had.
[Psalms 7:11] God is a righteous judge.
[1 Peter 1:17] And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s DEEDS, conduct yourselves with fear …
God has the same standard for all, not only for some. He won’t turn a blind eye to your sin just because you believe in Jesus.
[Colossians 3:25] The wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has DONE, and there is o partiality.
The Bible says multiple times, in both the Old and the New Testament, that we will be judged according to our works, but not even once that we will be judged according to our faith.
[Psalms 62:12] You LORD will render to a man according to his WORK.
[Jeremiah 17:10] I the LORD search the heart, I test the mind, to give to each person according to his ways, according to the fruit of his DEEDS.
[Jeremiah 32:19] O great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his DEEDS.
[Matthew 16:27] The Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has DONE.
[2 Corinthians 5:10] We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has DONE in the body, whether good or evil.
[Revelation 2:23] All the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your WORKS.
[Revelation 20:12-13] And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had DONE. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had DONE.
[Revelation 22:12] Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has DONE.
In both the old and the new covenant, God requires His people to live lives pleasing to Him, which is only possible if we have faith. It is only by faith that we can sanctify ourselves and practice righteousness. Those who believe but don’t live as God requires are only deceiving themselves. Their faith is dead.
[1 John 3:7] Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
Only those who sanctify themselves will be allowed into heaven.
[Revelation 22:14] Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.
The Bible never promises heaven without holiness. Those who choose to live carelessly and refuse to sanctify themselves will end up in hell, even if they believe in Jesus.
Contrary to what most churches teach today, holiness is not optional.
[Hebrews 12:14] Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Do not be deceived by false teachers who promise you haven without holiness, tickling your ears with feel-good messages to lull you into a state of complacency.
Regarding Paul’s apparent dichotomy of faith and works, please understand that his main point was that the Gentiles don’t need to keep the law of Moses. That was a huge debate in the early days of Christianity.
Paul said specifically:
[Romans 3:28] We hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the LAW.
[Galatians 2:16] 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.
It was never Paul’s intention to suggest that holiness is optional or that good works and keeping God’s commandments are not important. The same Paul who preached grace and faith also said:
[1 Corinthians 7:19] Neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.
[Acts 26:20] I declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing DEEDS in keeping with their repentance.
Contrary to what so many Christians believe, obeying God and doing good works out of love for God is not legalism. Keeping the law of Moses as a set of rules, without loving God, that’s legalism. Please don’t twist Paul’s words to mean something he never intended.
[2 Peter 3:16] There are some things in Paul’s letters that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
In closing, please pay heed to this warning:
[Galatians 6:7-8] God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
May the Lord help us to live lives pleasing to Him.