We Are Not Saved By Faith Only

The doctrine most commonly taught in the world is that a person is saved at the very moment that they believe in Jesus Christ, without any further acts of obedience. However, the Bible says, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). In addition to this, there is a general misunderstanding of the essentiality of good works to salvation. People often confuse the good works of the gospel of Christ, which the Bible defines as essential, with the works of the law of Moses, or the meritorious works of men in an effort to earn salvation. 

The Bible does not teach that people are saved by works of the Old Testament law of Moses. In Romans 3:20, it says “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” In Colossians 2:14 it says, “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” We know that the only hope for salvation for everyone today is through the gospel of Christ. We are not saved by the works of the law, but through the works of faith, through love, in obedience to Christ.

While the Bible says: "by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified,” it also says in James 2:24, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” These works that James is talking about are not the works of the law of Moses, but the works of faith revealed in the gospel of Christ. The law of Moses is dead and its works mean nothing today, but the works of the gospel mean everything!

A person is saved by the blood of Christ, through the grace of God. One is not saved by faith alone, but through obedience to the commandments of Christ. Jesus “....became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). This does not mean that the obedient soul earns, merits, or deserves salvation, but that he qualifies for the mercy and the grace of the Lord, “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 3:5). The Bible makes it clear in that same passage that while we are being saved through the washing of regeneration (or baptism) and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, that it is not by works done in righteousness which we have done ourselves. But if we do not submit ourselves to the righteousness of God in obedience to his word, we cannot be saved.

There are many Bible passages that show that faith is essential and that we are saved by faith and justified by it. Every one of these passages is to be believed and accepted. But there is one similar thing about all these passages on faith and that is that not one single passage ever says we are saved by faith only. There is no such passage in the Bible.

Here is a point that we need to remember: Never in any age or dispensation in human history has God saved man by faith alone. God has always required faith and obedience. No other formula for salvation has ever worked. None ever will. Jesus said: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). It must be faith plus obedience. This is the embodiment of the principle under which God has always worked in saving man. It is foolish to expect God to make an exception to the rule now and to save anyone by faith only and without obedience to His word. May we all have a soft and understanding heart that will motivate us to ensure that we are striving to please our heavenly Father in all things so that we can look forward to a home with Him forever.