The relationship between faith and works is that works are the result of faith. In the Bible, faith and works are very often contrasted. They are not the same thing, and the combination of faith and works does not bring salvation. Salvation is by faith alone.
- Rom. 3:28, “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”
- Rom. 4:5, “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.”
- Gal. 2:16, “nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus…”
False religious systems always teach that faith plus a person’s works result in salvation. This is false because our good works are filthy rags before God (Isa. 64:6). Therefore, we can’t do anything to please God by our good works. Gal. 2:21 says that if righteousness comes by the law (works), then Christ died needlessly.
Justification
Justification is the legal declaration by God upon the sinner, where God declares the sinner to be righteous. This declaration is based completely and totally on the work of Christ on the Cross. A person is justified by faith (Rom. 5:1); that is, he is made right before God by his faith in Christ (excluding the cults that teach a false Jesus). We are not saved by our works or our works added to the sacrifice of Christ. Our works, our good deeds, have absolutely no effect upon our salvation. Our good works do not get us salvation, nor do they help us keep our salvation. This is because our good works are filthy rags before God (Is. 64:6). Besides, if we could be saved by works, then righteousness would have been based on the law and Christ would not have needed to die. Gal. 2:21 says, “I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” But, Christ did need to die which proves our works cannot save us.
However, this does not mean that we are not to have good works. The Bible clearly tells us that if we claim to be Christian and we do not have good works, then we are not saved (1 John 2:4). Furthermore, the Bible also says that once we are saved, we are not free to be bad (Rom. 6:1-2). On the contrary, we are obligated to be good. In John 14:15 Jesus says, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Also, 1 John 2:3 says, “And by this, we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.”
Confused? Don’t be. We are not saved by our works because we cannot be. The only way to be saved is to trust in the finished sacrificial work of Christ on the cross. But, once saved, the person is now changed. He is a new creation and the old things have passed away (2 Cor. 5:17). This means that our old sinful ways are gone (or on their way out as we struggle against them). It also means that we then do good works to honor God. We don’t do good works to be saved or stay saved. We do good works because we are saved. I once heard it said that you are not saved by good works, but you aren’t saved without them. This means that our good works don’t save us in any way, but once we are saved we naturally obey God’s law and do good works which are signs of our being saved.
Faith without works is dead
James 2:26 says that faith without works is dead, but what James is talking about is that dead faith produces no works. The context of the chapter begins in verse 14 where James says, “What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” Notice that James asks, “Can that faith save him?” The faith he is talking about is a false faith, which he further clarifies when he mentions how the devil also believes in God (v. 19). The Devil has dead faith. He only acknowledges God’s existence.
So, with a real Christian, good works are the result of saving faith, not a contributing factor to salvation. Nor do our good works keep us saved. If that were the case, then salvation would be by works.
So the relationship between faith and works is simple. We are saved by faith, not by works. But, once saved, we do good works because we are already saved.
