can a christian be saved by works?

All Questions, Salvation

Can a christian be saved by works?

Category

Salvation, All Questions

Post Date

May 25, 2020

Reading Time ‘Minutes’

Word Count

It is very common for people to believe that they can earn their way into heaven through specific acts during their time on earth such as good deeds, acts of kindness, giving to the poor, etc.

But can we actually be saved by any works? The answer is Yes! …but ONLY by the finished works of Jesus Christ on the Cross. There are no good works humans on their own can do to earn a spot in heaven.

If Christians were able to earn their own salvation based on their good deeds, then Jesus would have died in vain.

However, does this mean that we should completely disregard good works? The answer is no – as Christians, we believe that Jesus saves us by Grace, but we are expected to do good works.

The theologian Augustine puts it best where he says “we are not saved by faith plus works but rather saved by a faith that works.”

James, the apostle, also quotes:

James 2:17 (NIV)

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Martin Luther also puts it in a great way when he said: “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone” and, this is the evidence of our changed lives.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior and acknowledge His finished work for us, we allow him to get on the inside and change our affections for Him so much that we want to serve Him, live for Him, love Him and do good deeds. But the acts we do are all empowered by His spirit.

In conclusion, a Christian is not saved by his ‘own’ works, but is redeemed through the finished work of Jesus Christ.

a Christian is not saved by his ‘own’ works, but is redeemed through the finished work of Jesus Christ.

SEE SIMILAR QUESTIONS

How can I know if I am one of the elect?

This question is prevalent among believers who have read about the doctrine of election and are mainly guided by a sense of doubt and fear as they wonder if God did in fact, choose them.

What are the signs that I have been saved?

This is one of the core questions every believer may ask themselves one day.
The Bible tells us that we should examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith:

What does it mean to be saved?

The scriptures speak about salvation as having a past, present, and future.

I am saved, what’s next?

The gift of eternal life does not free us from serving God and knowing more about Him. The main purpose of our being – to know Him and to make Him known.

What if I was not born in a Christian family?

Atheists usually raise this question claiming that Christians who believe in God are merely doing so because they were born into that family or environment.

Justification, Sanctification & Glorification?

lets have a quick overview of the 3 phases is as follows.

can a christian be saved by works?

It is very common for people to believe that they can earn their way into heaven through specific acts during their time on earth such as good deeds, acts of kindness, giving to the poor, etc.

What about those who have not heard about Jesus?

The Bible says that salvation is through faith alone in Jesus Christ.
This statement has caused many to ask about those who did not have the opportunity to know the good news of Jesus. Would they be condemned to hell? Just because they never heard?

Is Baptism necessary for Salvation?

Baptism is not necessary for salvation, but instead, it depicts what took place in salvation. Baptism is a beautiful act of obedience to God’s word, and every Christian should be baptized post-salvation.

What does it mean to remain in Christ?

The writers in the new testament constantly warn the churches and the readers to remain in Christ.

What about those who have not heard about Jesus?

All Questions, Salvation

What about those who have never heard about Jesus?

Category

Salvation, All Questions

Last Updated

Jul 23, 2021

Reading Time ‘Minutes’

Word Count

The Bible says that salvation is through faith alone in Jesus Christ.

This statement has caused people to ask about those who did not have the opportunity to know the good news of Jesus.

Would they be condemned to hell? Just because they never heard?

Since the Bible says that God is a just God, He will judge individuals based on the light (knowledge and revelation of the truth) that they would have received.

Therefore, by nature, God will not hold anybody responsible for something they have never heard before.

So what is this light? God has given light to everyone, and those who respond to the light will receive more light.

He has given us the light of creation through which we might know that there is a wise and powerful God. Romans 1 speaks about how vast and intricate creation is, which can only be explained by a creator.

He has given us the light of conscience to know that there is a moral God. Romans 2 speaks about how the law of God is written on our hearts and that we inherently know what is good and evil.

So if the biblical account is accurate, then by creation and conscience alone, everybody can know that there is a God.

This means that if anybody responds to the general revelation that they already have and believe in God’s existence, He will find a way to get the gospel to them.

God is not far from us (be it in the busy cities or isolated villages); we only need to trust and seek Him with all our hearts.

Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV)

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Throughout history and the Bible, God has proven to bypass the human mechanisms to speak to men and women. He does this via public proclaimers, prophets in biblical times and during our current age through television, media, blogs, etc.

As a result, people now more than ever can know about Jesus through various channels or mediums without ever having come into contact with a church or a preacher.

Even Jesus commanded His disciples to carry out the gospel to every nation. By the end of the first century, it was preached in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe. Now in the 21st century, the Bible has been translated into every major language.

I do not believe that anybody would stand before God and say if only I had more information, then I would have believed.

Although there is a vast amount of content and scripture available, it all boils down to the individual’s intent of the heart to cry out to God, saying ‘I Need You.’ Then, he would gladly reveal Christ to you.

But on the flip side, if somebody rejects natural revelation by creation or conscience, as mentioned above, God is not obligated to get that person any further information as they refused what God has already revealed about Himself.

If you are one of those who have stumbled on this answer, then guess what? You are not one of those who have not heard, you have heard, and you do know, and you have the evidence of the gospels claim open to you about Jesus claiming to be God and His free gift of salvation for you.