There is an ongoing debate among religious people concerning the conditional nature of salvation. Some argue that "works" are not essential for salvation while others argue that "works" ARE essential for salvation. At the center of this debate is Romans 4, a chapter in which the apostle Paul tackles this controvery in the most eloquent way!
Let's read verses 1-5 of this chapter as we begin this important discussion: "What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scipture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness."
It is clear upon reading this passage that Paul, by inspiration, is emphasizing faith and grace over "works." Works lead to boasting and ultimately run counter to the very grace of God. The apostle says in verse 5 that those who believe are truly righteous, NOT those who "work." At first glance, this section of scripture seems to coincide with the popular doctrine of "faith only" but let's take a closer look.
The main question is: what are works?
Most people assume that the term works refers to anything that we do including our acts of obedience to God. Thus it is posited that we do not have to obey God to be saved because that would be "earning salvation by works." Any and ALL outward acts are said to be works...
...but this is absolutely false.
In the New Testament, God distinguishes between works of obedience and works of merit. This is evident by the fact that obedience is spoken of positively while meritorious works are condemned and shunned.
Jesus says in John 14:15, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." In keeping His commandments, are we earning His love? Not at all. Obedience is a proper and necessary expression of our love for Christ. Without obedience, we cannot rightly say that we love Him.
Paul says regarding baptism in Romans 6:17, "But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered." True obedience is motivated by the heart; it is not merely outward. And according to Paul, obedience is what delivers us from the bondage of sin. Again, obedience is spoken of positively.
Hebrews 5:9 says, "And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." A similar point is made by Peter in 1 Peter 1:22, "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth..." We must obey to be saved.
You see, works of obedience are spoken of positively in the New Testament. And more to the point, true obedience is not coupled with arrogance or a "give me what I've earned" attitude. TRUE biblical obedience is motivated by the heart and is coupled with faith. It is obedience that James is speaking of in the second chapter of his epistle when he says "faith without works is dead." We cannot be saved by a dead faith! True faith is obedient faith.
AT THE SAME TIME, the New Testament condemns meritorious works. We have already seen this in Romans 4. But notice also Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should BOAST." While obedience is spoken of positively, these works in Ephesians 2 are spoken of negatively. Why is that? Because Paul is not speaking here of works of obedience. These works are what I call "meritorious works," works that cause us to boast before God.
Also notice Titus 3:4-7 which says, "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." The works of righteousness are not works of obedience. Again, consider the context. In verse 3, Paul is speaking of the condition of the world when Jesus came to die for our sins. God didn't send Jesus to a deserving world, but to an undeserving world. Mankind had done nothing to earn the love of God; we were as unloveable as we could be. It was an act of kindness and mercy. That's the point here. In no way is God discouraging or slamming obedience.
Do you get what I'm trying to say?
There's a difference between obeying God's commands and trying to earn salvation. It's really all about our attitude. Am I humbly doing what God has commanded me to do, or am I arrogantly demanding that God give me something that I think I deserve (when in fact, I don't deserve it).
We have to understand this distinction if we're going to rightly interpret Romans 4. Paul is contrasting a "system of works" and a "system of grace," an attitude of faithful obedience and an attitude of arrogantly demanding salvation. The Jews, according to Romans 3:27 boasted in their works; they felt superior and viewed salvation as their right, while viewing the Gentiles as unworthy and undeserving. Paul is demolishing that mindset. He's telling these arrogant Jews that if salvation can be earned, then God's grace is cheapened and in fact rejected. Yes, we must obey God, just as Abraham had to submit to the commandment of circumcision (Gen. 17), but we better not think that God OWES us because of our obedience.
Jesus put it best when He said, "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'we are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do'" (Luke 17:10). God sent His Son to die for our sins! Why? Because He loves us and wants us to be with Him in heaven. But God's not going to give the gift of salvation to everyone. Just as He expected Adam and Eve to abstain from the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, so also does He expect us to obey His commands today. We must come to Him. We must believe. We must obey. Not because salvation can be earned, but because God tells us to obey.
It's that simple.
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