“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”-Ephesians 2:8-9

“Without the doctrine of justification by faith alone, the gospel is not merely compromised; it’s lost altogether.” — R. C. Sproul

“The doctrine of justification is articulus stantis et cadentis ecclesiae, the article upon which the Church stands and falls.” -Modern Reformation

Why Is This Topic So Important?

You can try harder, do more, or be better—but none of it can save you; salvation is a gift you receive, not a prize you earn. Understanding that salvation comes entirely by faith in Jesus Christ and not by human works is foundational to the Christian life. Too often, people assume that their own effort, moral performance, or religious rituals contribute to being right with God. Even religious practices like baptism, communion, or regular church attendance, while important expressions of faith, do not earn salvation. “No one is saved by the act of baptism; it is faith alone that justifies, while baptism testifies to what God has already done.” -J.I. Packer

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that salvation is a gift, freely given, not earned, and that any attempt to add works as a requirement undermines the very grace of God. Ephesians 2:8‑9 reminds us: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” When we understand and embrace this truth, we can finally stop carrying the impossible burden of trying to earn God’s favor and rest in Christ’s finished work.

This doctrine is not merely academic; it shapes the way we live, worship, and relate to God and others. If we believe that human effort earns salvation, pride and judgmental attitudes can creep in, or we may fall into despair when we fail. But when we grasp that faith alone secures our righteousness, we respond with humility, gratitude, and joyful obedience. Recognizing that our works are the fruit of salvation, not the cause, aligns our hearts with the gospel and ensures that all glory goes to God. This truth is the cornerstone of our hope and the anchor of our spiritual life.

Salvation is a gift, not a prize you earn. You can try harder, do more, or be better—but only faith in Jesus saves.

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Passages In God’s Word That Teaches Us That Salvation Is By Faith

1. Salvation Is a Gift, Not a Wage
Ephesians 2:8–9 — “For by grace you have been saved through faith… not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Salvation is clearly presented as a gift from God, not something we earn. If it were earned, we could boast; but grace removes pride and glorifies God alone.

2. Faith Justifies Apart from Works
Romans 3:28 — “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”
Paul draws a firm line between faith and works. We are declared righteous through faith in Christ, not by fulfilling the law.

3. Abraham Was Justified by Faith, Not by Works
Romans 4:2–3 — “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
Abraham’s faith, not his deeds, brought him into right standing with God — long before the law or circumcision.

4. Grace and Works Cannot Coexist as Means of Salvation
Romans 11:6 — “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”
Grace and works are mutually exclusive when it comes to salvation. Grace loses its meaning if human effort earns it.

5. Salvation Comes Through the Promise, Not Performance
Galatians 3:11 — “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Paul reminds us that God’s promise of life is received by faith, not by keeping the law.

6. Christ’s Work on the Cross Is Sufficient
Titus 3:5 — “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.”
Our salvation rests on Christ’s mercy and finished work, not our flawed attempts to earn righteousness.

7. Good Works Are the Result, Not the Cause, of Salvation
James 2:17 — “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
Works flow from living faith; they do not create it. True faith produces good works, but works never produce salvation.

8. Boasting Is Excluded by Faith
Romans 3:27 — “Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded… by the law of faith.”
Faith excludes pride. If works earned salvation, human boasting would be justified — but grace gives all glory to God.

9. Salvation Is by Believing in Christ Alone
John 3:16 — “Whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Eternal life is offered through faith in Jesus, not by rituals, moral performance, or human effort.

10. Human Works Cannot Erase Sin
Isaiah 64:6 — “All our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.”
Even our best works are tainted by sin and cannot make us right before a holy God. We need grace, not self-effort.

11. People Are Not Saved by Baptism or Rituals
1 Corinthians 1:17 — “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel… so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.”
Paul distinguishes between the gospel that saves and baptism, which is a sign of salvation. Baptism expresses faith; it doesn’t create it.

Baptism, communion, and church attendance don’t save you. They point to what God has already done in Christ—faith alone justifies.

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Quotes Affirming Salvation Is By Faith, Not Human Works

• Charles Spurgeon:
  “The whole Bible tells us, from beginning to end, that salvation is not by the works of the law, but by the deeds of grace.”
• John MacArthur:
  “Salvation by faith does not eliminate good works per se. It does away with works that are the result of human effort alone… It is not that salvation requires faith plus works, but that works are the consequent outgrowth and completion of genuine faith.”
• Thomas R. Schreiner:
  “Justification is by faith alone, but it isn’t a faith that is alone, for true faith produces good works. Still, good works are not the ground or cause of salvation; they are the fruit of one’s faith.”
• R.C. Sproul:
  “The only thing you contribute to your salvation is the sin that made it necessary.”
• John Stott:
  “Grace is love that cares and stoops and rescues. Salvation is entirely due to the grace of God, not to human merit or effort.”
• J.I. Packer:
  “Faith is the outstretched empty hand which receives the free gift of God’s righteousness in Christ.”
• Augustine of Hippo:
  “If grace is by works, then it is no longer grace. You are saved not by your merit, but by the mercy of God.”
• John Calvin:
  “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves us is never alone. It always produces obedience and love.”
• Alistair Begg:
  “The thief on the cross had nothing to offer — no works, no record, no reputation — and yet Jesus said, ‘Today you will be with me in paradise.’ That’s the gospel: faith alone in Christ alone.”
• Tim Keller:
  “The gospel is not advice about what you must do to be saved; it is news about what has been done for you through Jesus Christ.”
• A.W. Tozer:
  “Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God. We are saved not because of what we do, but because of what Christ has done — and we look to Him.”
• John Piper:
  “Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the power of God to save us through faith alone, apart from works, so that all boasting is excluded.”
• Jonathan Edwards:
  “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.”
• C.H. Spurgeon:
  “A man is not saved because of the work that he does for God, but because of what God has done for him in Christ Jesus.”
• Billy Graham:
  “We are not saved because of the good things we do; we are saved because of what Christ has already done on the cross.”
• David Platt:
  “Salvation is not the result of human pursuit but of divine initiative. We are not saved by what we bring to God, but by what God brought to us in Christ.”
• Jerry Bridges:
  “Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace, and your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”
• D.A. Carson:
  “If we could earn our salvation, Christ died for nothing. Grace shatters all self-reliance and drives us to rest in the sufficiency of Christ alone.”
• Charles Ryrie:
  “If you could earn salvation, it would not be grace. Grace, by definition, excludes merit — and faith is the only response compatible with grace.”

Articles That Argue That Salvation Is By Faith, Not Works

• “Is salvation by faith alone, or by faith plus works?” — Got Questions.org
  GotQuestions.org
• “You Asked: Why Is Faith Not a Work?” — The Gospel Coalition
  The Gospel Coalition
• “Why Does Faith Alone Matter?” — Core Christianity
  Core Christianity
• “Justification by Faith Alone” — Third Mill / John H. Gerstner
  Third Millennium Ministries
• “Faith + Nothing: Justification by Faith + Nothing” — The Gospel Coalition
  The Gospel Coalition
• “The Doctrine of Justification” — Modern Reformation (J. A. O. Preus)
  Modern Reformation
• “Thoughts on the Conflict over Justification” — Equip.org
  Equip
• “The Connection between Faith and Works” — Covenant of Grace Church blog
  Covenant of Grace Church
• “Faith, Faith Alone and Not By Faith Alone” — EFCA Blog (Greg Strand)
  EFCA Blog
• “Does Scripture Say Baptism Is Necessary to Be Saved?” — Eternal Perspective Ministries (Randy Alcorn)
  Eternal Perspective Ministries
• “Is baptism necessary for salvation?” — GotQuestions.org
  GotQuestions.org

Add works to faith and you’ve lost the gospel. Salvation is God’s mercy, received by faith, not human effort. Rest in Christ’s finished work.

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Books That Argue That Salvation Is By Faith, Not Works

• Faith Alone: The Doctrine of Justification by Thomas R. Schreiner — Grace Books product page
• Faith Alone: The Evangelical Doctrine of Justification by R. C. Sproul — Baker Publishing Group page
• Justification: Understanding the Classic Reformed Doctrine by J. V. Fesko — Reformation Heritage Books listing
• Justification by the Word: Restoring Sola Fide by Jack D. Kilcrease — Barnes & Noble page
• Faith Alone: What the Reformers Taught…and Why It Still Matters (Thomas R. Schreiner) — Biblical Training summary & product info
• The Doctrine of Justification by James Buchanan — Monergism Books list (see listing under Sola Fide section)
• The Imputation of Adam’s Sin by John Murray — Monergism Books list
• Studies on Saving Faith by A. W. Pink — Monergism Books list
• Justification by Francis Turretin — Monergism Books list
• The Doctrine of Justification by Faith by John Owen — Monergism Books list