Many want to come to Christ. They want a relationship with Jesus but believe they need to become better and clean themselves up before coming to Christ. Not only is this a myth, but it is impossible to do because you can never be clean enough before coming to Christ. In fact you can never be clean outside of Christ.

Another belief is that when you come to Christ, there are certain things you must do to truly be saved. Expectations, like speaking a certain way or wearing specific attire to name a few. Now as believers, our speaking and attire will conform to our identity in Christ. What I am referencing is a law-based system that ties us to religion rather than an authentic relationship with God.

So here’s the question:How is one saved? Are you saved by faith alone or by a mixture of faith and works? Let’s turn to scripture and see what God’s word says.

Romans 4:5

But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.

Ephesians 2:8-10

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

So, as stated in scripture, a person is solely saved by faith in Jesus Christ and not by works. If we were saved by our works, we would have to do certain things in order to be paid with the reward of salvation, but scripture describes salvation as a gift from God. We did not have to pay for it. It is free to us, but it did cost something.

It cost Jesus his life. He willingly gave his life up for us; he paid the price for salvation, so the only work in salvation has already been done by Christ. That is why his last words on the cross were “it is finished.” Salvation is fully paid. It was paid by Jesus on the cross.

So the only bridge to Father God is faith in Jesus Christ, not works. Our job now is to accept this free gift from God. So if you are thinking you have to do something else with faith, this is a myth, as we can never work for our salvation. Listen to what Romans 10:3 says.

For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.

Let’s take a deeper look at this scripture. So anytime the Bible speaks about ,it is making reference to the law, specifically the mosaic law. Here, Paul is saying that the people were refusing to do things God’s way to be made right with Him, and their attempt to keep the law does not make them right with God. Again, affirming that we are saved solely by faith in Jesus Christ.

Titus 3:5 says he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

So this new birth is what Jesus was referring to when he was speaking to Nicodemus in John chapter three. He told Nicodemus that he needed to be born of water and spirit. When you are born again, you have that new spiritual birth, and it only comes by faith in Jesus Christ.

In Galatians 2:21, Paul writes:
I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

So our response to Christ dying should be gratitude and acceptance of the gift of salvation. We receive him and all of him. This means we should not spend time working, as if we are trying to get God to love us. Receiving the demonstrated love of God through Jesus, the promised Messiah is all that is needed. This was God’s plan all along–to send a savior to save the world from its sins.

Works is not bad. It is actually a good thing, as we were created for good works.

Romans 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

After salvation is where works come in. When you understand faith in Christ, you will want to do work for God out of love for Him. The relationship between faith and works is this: good works come after salvation. It is not a prerequisite for salvation; it follows salvation. So works is not so you can be saved, but occurs as a result of being saved. This is what James was talking about in James Chapter 2 when he said faith without works is dead. He is talking about demonstrating genuine faith in Jesus now that we are saved, for faith needs expression. Paul wrote in Galatians 5:6 that faith expresses itself through love.

So faith in Jesus is all you need for salvation, and the things you do (works) are a result of your faith in Christ. The question now is: What good works are you going to do to express your love for Jesus? A great starting point is to do what all believers are called to do: help the poor, orphans, and disadvantaged.

The works we do is never to magnify ourselves but to help others and glory our Father, who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.