Salvation Is By Grace Alone

Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it very clear. “By grace you have been saved through faith. This is not your own doing. It is the gift of God, Not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Galatians 2:16 adds, “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.” 

When scripture repeats the same thing three times in just one verse we need to pay attention! Even stronger language is used in Galatians 2:21. “Do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”

Interdenominational ministries or organizations need to stress that salvation is by grace alone, to avoid people who believe that they can mix grace and works. This could cause much division.

How is it possible that some want to combine the two? Grace is grace. No work is required to obtain salvation. Besides, who knows how much work is required? No one can be the judge and say I have done enough work, but you haven’t. Legalism is also of no value. Any service or work that is done should be motivated in response to God’s grace, not to gain his favor. Grace is what sets Christianity apart from all other religious faiths based upon works.

Grace writes the law of God in our hearts. We want to obey God’s laws because of a transformed nature that makes it part of our character to do so, not because we have to. To be justified by the law means one has fallen from grace, as stated in Galatians 5:4. “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.”  Dr. David Jeremiah, in reference to this verse says, “when we fall from grace, we do not lose our salvation; however, we do close the door to Christian growth and God ‘s blessing…” (1).

Roman 3:22-24 summarizes it, “There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Living under the law limits the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives. Galatians 5:18 says, “if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law.”

We must stick to salvation by grace only, and to live holy and obedient lives in response to it. Out of grace, Jesus died for your sins. There is nothing you can do to earn your salvation. There is nothing in us that merits salvation. Receive God’s free gift of justification by grace. 

1. Dr. David Jeremiah, The Jeremiah Study Bible, Hatchette Book Group, 2019, pg 1583