SURVEY SAYS: MOST WHO IDENTIFY AS CHRISTIAN BELIEVE IN SALVATION BY

WORKS…

Edward O’Hara Sat 8/22/2020 12:45 PM…

I recently read an article at prophecytracker.org that says “A new survey finds that a majority of people who describe themselves as Christian accept a “works-oriented” means to God’s acceptance.” 

This should come as no surprise. It is my contention that this number is actually far greater than just a simple majority as the article reports. Because those who identify as Roman Catholic and protestant either believe their works and Jesus’ works, or just Jesus’ works alone, are what makes them acceptable to God. So that some version of this salvation by works message is taught from every Roman Catholic and protestant pulpit. Because of this there should be no surprise that these they surveyed who go to one of these “clubs” would conclude the same. Because they are believing what they are told without a shred of Biblical evidence to support it. 

The protestant will say that since they believe that it was Jesus’ and not their own works that save them that this means they are believing in salvation by grace. Because they believe it is by the grace of God that He imputes the righteousness that resulted from Jesus’ perfect works of the law to them that makes them righteous. Not realizing that if this is true then this actually means they are believing that they are saved by works. Hence the catastrophic results of this survey. 

Catastrophic because Paul taught in Rom.11:6 that if we are saved by grace it is no more of works. Or grace is no more grace. Meaning that grace and works, no matter who we say has done them, do not have anything to do with how we are saved. We are saved by grace. Not works. And if we believe we are saved by works, no matter who we say has done them, we can not be saved. 

The problem for the protestant who thinks his protestantism is a refutation of the Roman Catholic view of salvation because they reject the RC belief that our own works contribute to our salvation is that they do not define grace Biblically any more than the Roman Catholic they think they have protested against does. Because both groups define it in the context of works. Saying that grace is “unmerited favor”. But, this definition of grace forces works into it. Because it defines grace as Jesus’ perfect works of the law placed to our account so that His works of the law save us and not our own.

A quote from RC Sproul describes this very well. He said, “We’ve seen that in the work of redemption God didn’t send Jesus to earth on Good Friday and say, “Die for the sins of your people and that will take care of it.” No. Jesus not only had to die for our sins, but He had to live for our righteousness. If all Jesus did was die for your sins, that would remove all of your guilt, and that would leave you sinless in the sight of God, but not righteous. You would be innocent, but not righteous because you haven’t done anything to obey the Law of God which is what righteousness requires.

So we have a doctrine in theology that refers to the active obedience of Jesus, as distinguished from the passive obedience of Jesus…. The active obedience refers to His whole life of obeying the Law of God whereby He qualifies to be the Savior. He qualifies to be the Lamb without blemish. He qualifies for the song, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,” through His total righteousness. He fulfills the Law’s demands, and if you remember the covenant with Moses, everybody who fulfills the Law receives the blessing, those who disobey the Law receive the curse.”

Did you see what he did there? He equates the receiving of the blessing(righteousness for eternal life) with perfect law keeping. So his message is that we are saved by works. And not just any works. But, by the works of the law. This is something Paul flatly rejected saying that “By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified(righteous)”. 

And the truth is that both Roman Catholics and Protestants alike believe this salvation by works kind of grace to one degree or another. But, the Bible defines grace in no such terms. In fact the Bible defines grace as having nothing to do with works or merit whatsoever. When we see grace in the Bible we see God’s love in action. An action that caused God to come in the same flesh all men have so that He could die a man’s death as described in John3:16. So that after dying a man’s death by the resurrection He could conquer death for us as is described in Heb.2:14 where it is written “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

These are not works. And certainly not works of the law. This is the life of God conquering death. The life of God that Jesus said He came to give to us in John10:10.  And it is that life that God imparts to us when we believe in Jesus as Lord, and in His resurrection as Paul plainly said in Rom.10:9,10. A life that God has. A life that no one had to work for. And a life that He gives freely to all who will trust in Jesus. A life that satan would deprive you of by convincing you that it was Jesus’ perfect law keeping being imputed to you that is what makes you acceptable to God. As if God does not accept you freely already. 

So you see works have nothing to do with how Jesus saves us. We truly are saved by grace through faith not of works as Paul taught. A grace that is “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever would believe in Him should not perish. But have everlasting life”. Grace that is freely given by God. And when freely received by those who have trusted in Jesus as savior and Lord they receive His eternal life. God requires nothing but trust in Him for your receiving eternal life from Him. A life that He has in Himself because He is God that He gives freely because He is love. Not because He worked for it so He could give it to you. 

Our righteousness is not a righteousness that can be derived from law keeping. That is a works of the flesh righteousness. The righteousness that is eternal life can only be had through faith apart from works. No matter who we say does them. 

So any of you who have been deceived by the doctrines of salvation by works that the Roman Catholic and her daughters the protestants have taught you can now come out of her and be free to receive the gift of God that is eternal life. A life that no one ever worked for. A gift called eternal life that God has always had that He wants you to have too. Will you trust in Him and His way of salvation today? Will you be born again of His Spirit so that you are His child? And as His child heir to His kingdom and eternal life? Then pray this prayer with me now. 

Dear Jesus, thank you for your gift of eternal life. Thank you that you give it freely without anyone needing to work for it. Thank you for saving me by your grace. I believe you and your resurrection. Help me to learn of your free gift of life. Renew my mind and make me the man or woman of God you want me to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

If you prayed with me then you have been delivered from the salvation by works doctrines of antichrist to the salvation by the grace of God without works that Paul preached. And have received the righteousness unto eternal life that only knowing Jesus brings. Welcome to the truth that is Jesus and the family of God that alone brings the inheritance of God’s kingdom that Paul said flesh and blood can not inherit. We are truly saved by grace and not by the works of the flesh. Please come back often to this website to learn of God’s wonderful grace so that these things won’t slip that you have begun to learn. See you there or in the air!!!

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Edward O’Hara