By David T. Crum | Photo: Adobe Stock
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)”
Good works do not earn salvation. This principle of “performing works” to earn merit leading to salvation angered, frustrated, and placed doubt in Luther.
If Christians are honest with themselves, they have probably faced such uncertainty and confusion in their spiritual journey as Luther did. Every person carries a conscience, and the law is imprinted on their hearts (Romans 2:15).
If any human lived a perfect, sinless life, they would be a deity themselves and would not need Jesus Christ. Christians understand they are sinners and need God’s mercy. Despite being renewed by Christ, they still carry the mark of original sin.
The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace alone, and no work or deed, no matter how great it is, can earn redemption. This would rob Jesus of His saving power and atonement.
Trusting in works confuses the soul and only results in disappointment. This practice has plagued many Christians, acknowledging their spiritual change and deeds, yet always ending up in the same situation, nothing but a wretched sinner. Loraine Boettner explained the concept of grace in salvation, “But if saved by grace, the redeemed remembers the mire from which he was lifted, and his attitude toward the lost is one of sympathy and pity.”[1]
The concept of salvation by grace alone can be confusing, and people may take advantage of it if they do not understand its correct meaning. It may even lead to a flawed mentality of a “license to sin.” Anyone familiar with the Bible knows this is not only unbiblical but awful theology leading souls astray.
Sin is present, and the devil wants people to trust themselves and their works. This not only places souls further away from God, but it will inarguably destroy the soul, as a constant mentality of disappointment is inevitable.
Indeed, the faithful Christian experiences renewal (being born-again, regenerated) and changes their priorities in life. However, they do not focus on themselves; instead, they center on Jesus Christ. Boettner explained, “Therefore when the Scriptures say that salvation is of grace, we are to understand that it is through its whole process the work of God and that any truly miraculous works done by man are the result of the change which has already been wrought.”[2]
Grace and faith correlate to loving God. While all humanity has a conscience and knows in their hearts that they have trespassed against God, those in Christ have a much deeper connection, concluding their purpose in life is to glorify Jesus Christ, which means loving Him and their fellow man (neighbor). Believers in Christ should despise sin on a new level before regeneration. On the regenerated mind, Boettner taught, “When he thinks deeply and soberly about it, sin is repulsive to him, and he hates it… so the true believer does nothing which injures the kingdom of God.”[3]
If Christians are to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, and soul, they certainly do not seek to displease Him intentionally, nor wish to serve as a poor example to His Holy Name.
Grace alone saves Christians; no works will save their souls. It is a simple but baffling conclusion: loving the Lord is what He seeks, and that alone will change the trajectory of anyone’s life. Soon, their (believers’) standards in life are not their own but those of His who redeemed them. The power of Jesus resides in His sheep and church today, as it always has, and only through Him is darkness defeated.
[1] Loraine Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 1932), 307.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid., 309.