Have you ever wondered if your actions truly matter for your salvation? Many believers wrestle with this tension – we’re told salvation isn’t earned through our works, yet Scripture clearly calls us to live differently as followers of Jesus. This apparent contradiction has created confusion and even division among Christians for centuries. The truth is, understanding salvation properly requires us to hold two biblical realities in perfect balance: the finished work of Jesus on the cross and our ongoing response of faith demonstrated through how we live. This tension isn’t something to resolve simplistically, but rather a divine paradox to embrace with humility and wisdom.
Biblical Insight
The Apostle Paul addresses this tension most directly in his letter to the Galatians. The believers there were being persuaded that faith in Jesus wasn’t enough – they needed to add circumcision and other Jewish practices to secure their salvation. Paul’s response was unequivocal: “Know that a person is not justified by the works of the Torah (the Law), but by faith in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16). This wasn’t casual theological disagreement – Paul called it “a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all” (Galatians 1:6-7).
Yet the same Paul who fiercely defended salvation by faith also wrote extensively about the necessity of good works flowing from that faith. To the Ephesians, he explained, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:8-10). Notice the sequence: salvation comes first through faith, then good works naturally follow as the purpose for which we were saved.
James provides another vital perspective, stating that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). He wasn’t contradicting Paul but completing the picture. James confronted a different error – people claiming faith without any corresponding change in behavior. His point wasn’t that works save us, but that genuine saving faith inevitably produces visible fruit. Jesus Himself warned about those who call Him “Lord” but don’t do what He says (Luke 6:46), and spoke of those who will be turned away despite their impressive religious activities because they never truly knew Him (Matthew 7:21-23). Scripture consistently presents salvation as a divine gift received through faith that then transforms how we live.
Practical Wisdom
Living in this tension requires spiritual maturity. First, we must guard against any hint of earning or meriting salvation through our actions. The moment we think we deserve Heaven because of our good deeds or religious practices, we’ve missed the heart of the gospel. Salvation begins with our acknowledgment that we cannot save ourselves – that only the finished work of Jesus is sufficient. When we confess Jesus as Lord and trust in His sacrifice, we’re responding to the Holy Spirit’s prompting with an act of faith – not earning anything, but receiving everything.
Yet this saving faith isn’t merely intellectual agreement or a one-time decision with no ongoing impact. Genuine faith transforms how we live. If I truly believe Jesus is Lord, I’ll increasingly submit every area of life to His authority. If I’ve experienced His forgiveness, I’ll extend forgiveness to others. Faith that doesn’t change us isn’t the faith Scripture describes. As John writes, “Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6).
The beautiful truth is that the Holy Spirit empowers this transformation. We don’t strive to live righteous lives through sheer willpower but through yielding to His presence within us. When we stumble and sin – as we all do – we don’t lose our salvation if we genuinely repent. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), and we can walk in freedom knowing that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Our ongoing repentance isn’t about earning forgiveness but about maintaining our relationship with God and walking in His purposes for our lives.
Clearing Up Misunderstandings
Perhaps the most common misunderstanding is treating salvation as merely an event in the past rather than an ongoing reality. The New Testament actually speaks of salvation in three tenses: we have been saved from the penalty of sin (justification), we are being saved from the power of sin (sanctification), and we will be saved from the presence of sin (glorification). Reducing salvation to just “getting saved” misses the biblical fullness of what God is doing in us. Justification is a completed legal declaration, but our transformation is an ongoing process requiring our active participation.
Another misconception is thinking that warnings about falling away contradict eternal security. Scripture contains both profound assurances about God’s faithfulness to complete what He began in us (Philippians 1:6) and sobering warnings about the dangers of turning away from Christ (Hebrews 6:4-6). These aren’t contradictions but complementary truths that recognize both God’s sovereign commitment to us and the reality of human free will. The warnings serve as means God uses to preserve His people, not threats that undermine our security.
Some also misunderstand “works” in Paul’s writings to mean any human action, when in context he was primarily addressing attempts to be justified by observing the Mosaic Law or other religious systems. Paul wasn’t dismissing the importance of obedience but rejecting the idea that we could earn right standing with God through religious performance. Our actions matter tremendously – not as the basis for our salvation but as the expression and evidence of it. As Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16).
Conclusion
Salvation is God’s gracious gift received through faith in Jesus the Messiah and what He accomplished for us. This faith is never merely passive intellectual assent but an active trust that transforms our hearts and lives from the inside out. We don’t work for salvation, but we most certainly work from salvation – responding to God’s grace with lives of joyful obedience empowered by His Spirit. The question isn’t whether works matter (they absolutely do), but where they fit in God’s redemptive plan (as the fruit of salvation, not its root).
As we grow in understanding this beautiful balance between grace and obedience, may we live with both humble gratitude for God’s undeserved gift and purposeful commitment to walk worthy of our calling. In this way, we glorify the God who saves us completely – from both sin’s penalty and its power – as we await the day when we will be fully transformed into the likeness of His Son.
Did You Know?
The Greek word for “work” (ergon) that Paul uses when discussing salvation by faith apart from works appears approximately 170 times in the New Testament. Interestingly, the same word is used both when Paul dismisses works as a means of salvation (Romans 4:2) and when he emphasizes their importance as evidence of faith (Ephesians 2:10). This linguistic connection reinforces that the issue isn’t whether works themselves are good or bad, but rather their relationship to salvation – they are the result of salvation, not its cause.
