Articles by: Kenneth J. Ester
False Doctrine: Saved by Works
The most common scripture given to support the doctrine that we are saved by works is in James.
James 2:14-17 (NASB)
14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
The problem is, this scripture never once says we are saved by works. At best, it can only be interpreted to mean as much, but it never actually says it.
My Interpretation!
When I read this, I don't see James saying we are saved by works. I see James saying that works is a result of having true faith. Our good works can in a way be a gauge to our faith. If your faith is true, they will result in good works. If our faith is only in our heads and not in our hearts, then we will not see the good works. So faith that does not result in good works is dead.
The important thing to realize is that James isn't talking about doing good deeds to gain merit here. He is talking about a natural propensity to do good works. Anyone can do good deeds. An atheist can do good works. Those good works won't save that atheist though.
Now there is the question of which interpretation is correct. I interpret James to be saying that works is a result of true faith. Some churches interpret James to be saying we are saved by works. How do we know which interpretation is right? You do that the way you do it with any interpretation of any scripture. You compare it to other scriptures. There simple rule is, there can be no contradictions in the Word of God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
There is not one single verse in the Bible that clearly says we are saved by works. Not one! Every verse used to support that belief is a verse that one needs to interpret it to mean as much, but it never clearly says it. Yet here we have a verse that doesn't need to be interpreted. It says it plain as day. Our salvation is a gift of God and it is not a result of works!
To believe that we are saved by works, you must do so in direct contradiction with Ephesians 2:8-9.
Not only do you need to accept a contradiction in the Word of God to believe it, but you also have to believe that Jesus is a very negligent preacher. For Jesus tells us ten times how we are saved. Every single time, He mentions faith or believing, but never once does He say by works. So if works saves us, that would mean that all ten times He teaches on the subject, He forgets to mention a key component to our salvation.
I for one, do not believe that there are any contradictions in God's Word. Nor do I believe Jesus was a negligent teacher. He knew exactly what he was saying when He taught us how we are saved.
You can read what Jesus and the writers of the New Testament said about how we are saved here... How We are Saved: The Truth According to God's Word!
Also read:
Why do we need Salvation?
What did God do to Save us?
How exactly are we Saved?
Return to:
The Truth of Salvation
James 2:14-17 (NASB)
14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
The problem is, this scripture never once says we are saved by works. At best, it can only be interpreted to mean as much, but it never actually says it.
My Interpretation!
When I read this, I don't see James saying we are saved by works. I see James saying that works is a result of having true faith. Our good works can in a way be a gauge to our faith. If your faith is true, they will result in good works. If our faith is only in our heads and not in our hearts, then we will not see the good works. So faith that does not result in good works is dead.
The important thing to realize is that James isn't talking about doing good deeds to gain merit here. He is talking about a natural propensity to do good works. Anyone can do good deeds. An atheist can do good works. Those good works won't save that atheist though.
Now there is the question of which interpretation is correct. I interpret James to be saying that works is a result of true faith. Some churches interpret James to be saying we are saved by works. How do we know which interpretation is right? You do that the way you do it with any interpretation of any scripture. You compare it to other scriptures. There simple rule is, there can be no contradictions in the Word of God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
There is not one single verse in the Bible that clearly says we are saved by works. Not one! Every verse used to support that belief is a verse that one needs to interpret it to mean as much, but it never clearly says it. Yet here we have a verse that doesn't need to be interpreted. It says it plain as day. Our salvation is a gift of God and it is not a result of works!
To believe that we are saved by works, you must do so in direct contradiction with Ephesians 2:8-9.
Not only do you need to accept a contradiction in the Word of God to believe it, but you also have to believe that Jesus is a very negligent preacher. For Jesus tells us ten times how we are saved. Every single time, He mentions faith or believing, but never once does He say by works. So if works saves us, that would mean that all ten times He teaches on the subject, He forgets to mention a key component to our salvation.
I for one, do not believe that there are any contradictions in God's Word. Nor do I believe Jesus was a negligent teacher. He knew exactly what he was saying when He taught us how we are saved.
You can read what Jesus and the writers of the New Testament said about how we are saved here... How We are Saved: The Truth According to God's Word!
Also read:
Why do we need Salvation?
What did God do to Save us?
How exactly are we Saved?
Return to:
The Truth of Salvation
