Not By Works Lest Any Man Should Boast

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast." Many religions teach a salvation in which they say that you can be saved a number of different ways. The Catholic church teaches you can be saved by your good works. The Church of Christ adds to salvation and says that you need to be baptized to be saved. Some religions teach that you must follow a certain ritual. Some Baptists have taught that you can be saved by merely repeating a prayer. However, God's ways when it comes to salvation is still the same. You can only be saved by grace through faith. You must recognize and admit that you're a sinner and then you must repent of your sins and trust Christ as savior and Lord. Anything else added is another gospel.

It's amazing the number of people that believe that you have to perform good works to be saved. However, there's a question that needs to be asked: If man can be saved by good works, then what was the purpose of Jesus coming to earth and dying on the cross? I Timothy 2:15 says, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." Jesus came to this earth to die for sinners. That verse tells me that there's nothing in my own strength that I can do which would merit my salvation. I like the song "I Will Glory in the Cross." That one verse says, "I boast not of works, nor tell of good deeds, for nought have I done to merit his grace. Oh glory and praise shall rest upon him. So willing to die in my place". Salvation is of the Lord. The Bible says that man's righteousness is as filthy rags. That's man's best. Imagine what God thinks about man's unrighteousness. Jesus' death on the cross would've been in vain if man was able to merit his salvation.

Acts 4:12 says, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." There's no other means of salvation other than Jesus dying and shedding his blood on Calvary. You can't be saved by any other way than through Jesus. You can't be saved by Buddha, Allah, Confuscious, Mohammad, Jim Jones, and the list continues. It's amazing how people have been conned into thinking there's multiple ways of salvation. Anything that adds to the Biblical plan of salvation is legalism.

If man could enter Heaven any other way than through Jesus, then what a useless sacrifice Jesus would've made. Jesus wouldn't have given his life and suffer shame and separation on the cross if man was sufficient to merit salvation. Sin is so horrible to God that the only way to forgive sin was through a blood sacrifice. Jesus paid it once and for all. The price Jesus paid on Calvary should tell us that's the only way man could be saved and enter Heaven. What a gift God has given us! It's imperative we don't forget the price Jesus paid on our behalf.

It should humble us to realize that God loved us so much that he would send his Son to die for us. We were unworthy of his suffering on the cross. We are wretched sinners that God has saved by his grace. It's a shame many Catholics and other religious groups perform good works thinking that's what enables them to enter Heaven. It's a blessing that Jesus paid it all on Calvary. Christians are to perform good works. However, that's a result of salvation. We perform good works because we are saved--not to be saved. It's a privilege to serve Jesus and work for him. Let's not forget the debt Jesus paid on Calvary.