1) The works system is a scripturally proven failure.

Man has already been under two different works systems. Both systems left mankind uniformly condemned. The first works system was given to Adam. It consisted of one simple precept:

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. - Gen 2:16-17

Could one possibly conceive a works system having more simplicity or fewer demands than this? Yet, through the temptations of Satan, Adam failed under this system, and all mankind failed through him (Rom 5:12-19). If Satan is capable of destroying a perfect man, such as Adam, in a works system so moderate as this, then what chance do corrupted creatures such as ourselves have in the complicated works systems advanced by many today?

The case of Adam also proves salvation cannot be maintained by works. There are some who teach salvation can be preserved only if the saved individual adheres to a works system. However, one must conclude that if salvation can be lost, then it most definitely would be lost, because Adam lost his blissful state in a works system that had practically no demands whatsoever. It must therefore be concluded that salvation is both obtained and maintained by grace.

The second works system was of course the Law of Moses. The scriptures very clearly teach that this system has not produced a single case of salvation. Paul said:

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. - Rom 3:19-20.

In addition to asserting no flesh shall be justified by the law, this text further explains that the purpose of the law was to show unto all men their condemnation. Paul elsewhere stated the law entered, that the offence might abound (Rom 5:20), and that the law was given so that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful (Rom 7:13). Therefore, those believing in salvation by works have never earnestly heeded the message of the law, because a primary purpose of the law was to show the futility of righteousness by works. As Paul has said:

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. - Gal 3:24

2) Man's best works fall hopelessly short of God's standard of justice.

This truth could not have been stated any clearer than by Isaiah:

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. - Is 64:6

Observe that it is not our sins that are as filthy rags, but rather it is all our righteousnesses. The very best man has done is as a filthy rag before God. Accordingly, Jesus said:

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. - Lk 17:10

Again, it is not asserted we are unprofitable servants after a night of drunkenness, or after robbing a bank. But we are this after we have done that which was our duty to do. Unprofitable refers to some venture in which one has greater expense than revenue. Such is that case of man before God. God has expended far more for man than He has ever received in return, and God has never received sufficient righteousness from any man to warrant an acquittal before His great tribunal of justice (Ec 7:20, Rom 3:20), nor has any saved man ever rendered righteousness sufficient for the preservation of his salvation.

The conversation between Jesus and the rich young ruler in Mt 19:16-26 should forevermore settle the question of salvation by works. The young ruler asked Jesus, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? Jesus explained that salvation being awarded for our personal goodness would entail loving others to the same degree as we love ourselves. Can anyone truly claim to have met this condition? In the case of the rich man, satisfaction of the condition required that he sell all he had and give it to the poor. Even the disciples of Jesus found themselves under conviction after hearing of this rigorous standard of goodness, and they responded by asking, Who then can be saved? The Lord's response unequivocally settles the issue of salvation by works for all eternity: With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

3) The works system is a self destructive means of salvation when applied to depraved man.

Man in his sinful nature is instinctively rebellious. He is more apt to violate a law after it has been passed than before. Paul states this principle himself:

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. - Rom 7:7-9

Hence, the knowledge of the law inflames the nature of sinful man, who instinctively rebels against its constraints, and the law works within him all manner of concupiscence (a longing for the forbidden) and causes a sinful nature, which had been partially latent, to revive into open rebellion against the commandment. Therefore, the law will not cause a natural man to repent of his errors. To the contrary, it incites the sinful nature and furthers the individual's condemnation. This is why Paul goes on to say:

And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. - Rom 7:10-11

Why would God give the law to depraved men if these are its effects? Paul further explains:

Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. - Rom 7:12-14

All humans have experienced this rebellious nature in themselves and have observed it in others. If the speed limit on the highways is 55 mph, people are not generally satisfied until they are driving 60. One would surely think that such people would be exceptionally content to drive at 70, and indeed they will, until the speed limit is moved to 70, then happiness will not be found at any speed less than 75. It seems that there is no contentment in perfect compliance with the law.

Man's inherently rebellious nature is especially observable in children. Suppose a child were commanded not to open a particular drawer. Even though the child may have had no prior inclination to do this, one can be fairly sure the temptation will present itself once the commandment is given.

This shows laws are not in themselves deterrents to sin. Rather, it is the penalty to the law that deters. It would be better to have no law at all than to have a law without penalty. Accordingly, the law of God was not given to correct man's sinful nature. Only the penalty to the law could do this, and even it could not eliminate the sinful nature. It merely kept it at bay. The law itself was given to expose man's sinful nature. To interpret the law as a system of salvation is most surely an error, for it is doomed to self destruction when so applied.

4) Works cannot be a means of salvation because only saved men are inclined to perform them.

This principle is unmistakably stated by Ezekiel:

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. - Ezek 36:25-27

Hence, the man that walks in the statutes of God and keeps the judgments of God is he who has undergone this radical change at the hand of God. Who can doubt that this change is the new birth itself?

Jesus taught that men's actions are merely a reflection of their natures. Men who perform evil works are fundamentally evil in their very nature. Men who perform good works have a good nature. Works do not change a man's being; rather, they are consequences of his being. This shows that men do not perform good works to be saved; rather, they perform good works because they are saved.

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. - Mt 12:33-35

Therefore, a man with a bad nature will bring forth wicked works as predictable as briers bring forth thorns. Yet all men are born with bad natures. This is why the new birth is absolutely necessary for heavenly existence (Jn 3:3-5). Paul told the Ephesians that prior to their quickening, they were by nature the children of wrath, even as others (Eph 2:3). If the new birth is necessary to bring forth good works, then it is apparent that the new birth must be brought about by something other than good works.

Paul gives yet more evidence to what we are saying:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. - Gal 5:22-24

Who can conceive of a good work that is not embraced by this blessed text? Yet none of the implied works are the seed of the Spirit. They are rather the fruit of the Spirit, and as such, are produced only by those who are born of the Spirit.

Observe that faith is also a fruit of the Spirit. It is therefore an error to say that men are made spiritual because they have chosen to have faith. The opposite is true - men have faith because they have been made spiritual. If faith is a fruit of the Spirit, then the Spirit must precede faith. Paul said:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. - 1Cor 2:14

Hence, man by nature will never receive a spiritual thing. Since faith clearly is a spiritual thing, this implies natural man will never have faith. Both faith and salvation are the product of grace. As Paul said:

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. - Eph 2:8-9

Perhaps one of the most frequent errors made by Bible students is the confusion of cause and effect. What are thought to be the causes of salvation are in fact the effects. There are many texts in the Bible which associate works and salvation. Some Bible students will conclude from these that salvation is based upon works. This is a confusion of cause and effect. Salvation does not derive from works; rather, works derive from salvation (Mt 12:33-35, Jn 1:11-13, Jn 8:43-47, Jn 10:25-29, Jn 15:16-19, Acts 9:15, Acts 11:18, Acts 13:48, Acts 16:14, 1Cor 1:22-24, 1Cor 1:30-31, Gal 5:22-23, Eph 1:3-4, Eph 2:8-10, Philip 2:12-13, 1Thes 1:4-5, 2Thes 2:13-14, Tit 3:3-5, 1Pet 2:9).

5) Salvation cannot be by our works because the Lord Jesus has already done the works in our stead.

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. - Rom 3:21-23

No man is righteous by virtue of his own works, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Yet the text clearly asserts that some men are indeed righteous. They possess even the righteousness of God, which is none other than the righteousness of Jesus, and this is the unmerited possession of every believer.

Paul later explains:

Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. - Rom 4:6-8

Let us all be thankful the text did not read, "Blessed is the man that has not sinned." Rather, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Unto such a man, God imputeth righteousness without works.

For these reasons, Paul could say:

For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. - Gal 2:19-21

This text was written in rebuke to the Galatians, who were teaching salvation is partly by grace and partly by works. Such salvation is no salvation at all, because man has proven himself incapable of perfection in even the simplest rules of obedience. If salvation is to any degree by the works of man, then Christ is indeed dead in vain, because his mission to save will surely end in complete failure.

If righteousness comes by works, then not only did Christ die in vain, but as the text has said, he is dead in vain. That is, Christ never rose from the dead; His remains are yet in the tomb, and His death accomplished absolutely nothing. Hence, to teach salvation by works is to effectively deny the resurrection of Christ, and surely, one who denies the resurrection of Christ cannot be counted as a believer in Christ. Paul says that he was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for (because of) our justification - Rom 4:25. Hence, the resurrection was the finishing seal of approval on His redemptive work, and we may conclude by its occurrence that Jesus has done the works.

The arguments we have presented clearly show salvation must be by grace. Unfortunately, it is necessary that we add further clarification as to what we mean by this. It seems nothing is more fashionable in the Christian world than to say "salvation is by grace," but closer inspection of many making this claim reveals their concept of "grace" is in reality an alternate system of works. When we say "salvation is by grace," we need not add any clarification or amendment to what we have said. We mean that salvation is by grace in all parts and aspects.

Certain preachers claiming to teach grace will often say, "Your are saved by grace, BUT you must..." Such statements are contradictory within themselves. Once the "BUT" is added, grace is destroyed. It then becomes what Gal 2:21 calls "frustrated grace," which in reality is not grace at all (Rom 11:6).

When men say "You are saved by grace, BUT...," they then begin to add amendments to grace. These are invariably rules of obedience by which salvation is obtained. It will be said that these rules of obedience do not constitute "works," but that "works" should refer only to those precepts in the moral law. But isn't their system all the same in principle with salvation by works? They have merely replaced one set of rules with another. As we have already shown, such systems have already proven failures. None of the systems promoted by modern Christians are as easy to follow as the works system imposed upon Adam. Yet Adam failed, and we believe this implies the modern systems are doomed to failure also.

To destroy all concepts of conditional "grace," we need but merely ask: Are these proposed rules of obedience spiritual things or natural things? Surely, one must answer they are spiritual things. However, Paul said:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. - 1Cor 2:14

Hence, a natural man will not comply with a spiritual rule of obedience. He will see such demands as being sheer foolishness. To this we may add:

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. - Rom 8:5-8

This text asserts all actions of carnal men fall short of God's pleasure. Their actions either violate His law, or else they are performed with carnal motives. Their very mind is enmity against God. It follows that if such were to perform actions to secure salvation, then salvation must be obtained by displeasing God. What could be more absurd than this?

It is often said that "Salvation is a gift, BUT you must accept the gift." We certainly insist that all men should believe Christ and obey His gospel, and we affirm that ministers of the gospel should exhort their hearers thereunto. Further, we affirm that it is by our faith and obedience that we obtain assurance of our salvation. But we deny that these things should be presented as though they are qualifying amendments to grace. The Bible never says, "Salvation is a gift, BUT you must accept it." Should we then make this statement? We think not, especially since the statement does not even make sense. The gift under consideration is not a birthday present; rather, it is life.

How much sense would it make for one to offer natural life to some corpse lying in a mortuary upon the condition that the corpse agree to accept it? No sane person would propose such a thing. The corpse cannot perform the requested action. If it did, then this would prove it was not truly a corpse. It was really alive all along.

Now it is equally ridiculous to say that a natural man can acquire spiritual life if he will agree to perform a spiritual condition. The Bible teaches natural men are dead to all spiritual things (Jn 5:25, Rom 8:5-8, 1Cor 2:14, Eph 2:1-3, Col 2:13). This means they do not and cannot understand, appreciate, or perform spiritual things. Therefore, if a man exhibits spiritual activity (e.g. belief, submission to baptism, or other obedience), then this proves he already has spiritual life, even as natural activity proves one to already have natural life. These activities are not the causes of this life. They are the consequences of this life.

Spiritual life can never derive from natural life. The Lord made this perfectly clear when He said:

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. - Jn 3:6-7

Since natural man is totally dead to all spiritual things, he cannot be spiritually born of anything within his own being. He must be born of the Spirit of God, and this birth is wholly by grace.

The very fact the Bible describes the acquisition of spiritual life as a birth implies it is all of grace. What person ever contributed toward their natural birth? In a birth, that which is born is totally passive; that which gives birth is totally active. Accordingly, all scriptural analogies to the acquisition of spiritual life convey this same idea. In particular, this acquisition is compared to:

1) a birth (Jn 1:11-13, Jn 3:3-8)
2) a quickening (Eph 2:1-5, Col 2:13)
3) a translation (Col 1:12-13)
4) a resurrection (Jn 5:25-29)
5) a creation (2Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15, Eph 2:10)

No individual experiencing any of the above transitions ever contributed in the least degree to the transition, nor have they ever successfully resisted it. In all of these transitions, it is the power of God, and this power alone, which accomplishes the transition.

Now if spiritual life is of grace, then all the abilities conferred by this life are also of grace, including all of the abilities which are necessary to perform the amendments proposed by those who will say, "Salvation is by grace, BUT..." (Prov 16:1, Jn 6:44-45, Acts 13:48, Acts 16:14, Gal 5:22-23, Eph 1:19-20, Eph 2:8-10, Philip 1:29, Philip 2:12-13, 1Tim 1:12-16, 1Pet 1:1-5, 2Pet 1:2-3).

It would be far better to say, "Salvation is by grace, THEREFORE you must..." We are infinitely indebted to God, who has loved us notwithstanding our rebellion against Him, and who has saved us freely through our Lord Jesus Christ, who bore the burdens of our sins even to the death of the cross. We believe all who are enabled by the grace of God to see the truth of this salvation, and who are enabled by this same grace to believe and love their Savior, will feel compelled by the love of God and truth to live in such a way as to honor His great name. We conclude this article with quotations from the Bible which express this same truth. Salvation is by grace, THEREFORE let us live in appreciation of it, and to the honor of Him who gave it, and let us acknowledge that our only hope is in that which is truly and completely grace, and let us profess this before men that they may acknowledge it also.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. - Rom 15:30

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. - 1Cor 1:30-31

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. - 2Cor 5:14-15

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. - Heb 10:22-25