Salvation: Our Own Works or Christ's?

I know that will be against the teaching of most of you here. But if you will bear with me I think you will understand what I am getting at.

We ARE saved by works. But what we must get settled in our minds is, by whose works are we saved through. Our own efforts, or the works of Jesus He accomplished during His life and death. It is very important to get this settled in our mind. This is why I want to dedicate this message to explaining just whose work we put our trust in - or "believe in" as the Bible puts it.

Man likes to have something to do with his own salvation. He just cannot get the idea out of his head that salvation is free - without something for him to do on his part. I want to go over in this message just why this is not so, why it cannot be so.

To get to understand why we cannot depend on our own works we must understand the standard that God has set for us to live by if we were to depend on our own works to get to heaven - or warrant salvation is another way of putting it. What standard does God require? I am sure everyone has heard the illustration that God has a scale he measures our good works verses our bad works (sin) and if our good works outweighed our sins then we are on our way to heaven. NOTHING could be further from the truth!! The truth is that the weight of our sins would out weigh our good works as much as the planet earth would outweigh a single baby chicken's feather! And even that is only a mild comparison. You see - if we were to get to heaven by our own works God would require us to be absolutely perfect - just as perfect as Jesus was and is. Sinless - not one single sin charged against us. If we have then our opportunity to get to heaven by our own works comes crashing down around us. It's over - we have to look for another way - for someone who has lived a perfect, sinless life and is willing to give me the credit of those good works. Let's confirm this by reading James 2:10

So you see - God's standard is that we must keep ALL laws - written, not written, Implied or spoken Every jot and tittle of them. Every tee crossed, every comma in its place. 100 per cent correct - Not one mistake allowed in our lifetime from the time we are born until our last breath has faded away and we are with Christ. This means that every time God says: don't do that, or don't do it that way, or, do it this way, or, do this, and we don't do as He says then we have sinned and our chances of earning our own way to heaven are lost. And note from James 2:10 above. Note that it is said as far as God is concerned if you fail in one point then you have failed in EVER ONE of the rest of the demands of God, and not just once, but are doing so continually! Now this does not mean that in reality we have committed EVERY sin there is to commit, or that we are as bad as we could be - but as far as God is concerned in His eternal purpose - you have and are. In truth - I think in reality we all come a lot closer to God's eternal purpose in that we do sin, a lot - maybe not continually, or every one we could - but certainly a lot more than the one sin required for us to lose our qualification to earn our way to heaven by our own works. So, knowing this we come to the conclusion that we must depend on someone who is willing to give up his own credits (good works) and give them to me and then be willing to suffer the punishment which I should be receiving for the sin I have committed. The ONLY person who has ever walked the face of this earth who can say that they have done as I just mentioned - walked this earth all his life of 33 years and never sinned once and was perfectly qualified to enter Heaven by His own works is the man Jesus Christ. And He is quite willing to give up His credits (good works) and give them to anyone willing to accept them in place of his own good works, and attempts to fulfill his responsibilities. In addition He has already suffered and died a cruel death on the cross to pay the penalty of the sins we have committed.

Now the question I would like to put to you is this. Can you ever reach this standard? Can anyone reading this make the claim truthfully that they have never committed one sin up to this point in your life, and don't intend to for the rest of the time you live? I am quite sure that each of you will admit that you have at some point broke one of God's laws - and in fact many of them. Even most unsaved people will admit they do things wrong once in a while. They recognize that, but the mistake they make is that they just give up trying and just say: 'I can't do it so I will just live my life as I like and take what may come'. A few months ago I read of an incident Billy Graham had. He tells us that on one occasion after a meeting he had gone back to his hotel room. During the course of the evening he had a visitor. It was not necessarily a friendly visit. This chap who visited lit into Mr. Graham about the invitation to come to Christ to be saved. 'He said Mr. Graham, I just cannot live a perfect life that I understand the Bible to say we must live to get to heaven. It is just impossible so I am just not going to try.'

You see here is a perfect example of an unsaved person understanding himself as a sinner. Where he erred was that he didn't take the next step and give up trying to get to heaven by his own works and instead accept what Jesus Christ did for him. That Jesus kept all the demands of the law and if we put our trust in those works and forget about our own works, then on Judgment day God will look on us and see that Jesus has imputed the works of Christ to us and God will look upon us as perfect as Jesus himself since we are under the protection of His good works. Unfortunately there are many, many people like this person mentioned above.

It is quite clear that we can't be good enough to merit God's favor in granting us access to heaven by our own right living. But why? Because there is a great barrier within us that makes it impossible for us to live this kind of holy life. That is our human nature.

Let us get a proper understanding of nature. You see nature all around us, but what about nature that lives within us. Nature is our inner being - what makes us what we are. Every living creature has its own version of nature. Even the vegetable life. For example: what is a dog's nature and how does it influence that animal. Well we know a few things a dog likes. He likes to chew on bones or your slippers if you are foolish enough to leave them where it can get at them. A dog likes to chase things you throw for them, and return them to you. I would like to see you get a cat to do that!!. Why?. They have two completely different natures and they both have to live within the bounds of the nature God gives them. We all do - Humans as well as animals. We cannot take one step outside the bounds of the nature God gave each of us. The influences of that human nature are what causes the evil that comes from us - because that nature that is in us is evil. And this is what we must understand to get a real understanding of why we are like we are. The influence of our human nature is total.

I just said that nature within us is evil. How can I say that? We are very good people, how dare you say we are evil. Well if you will just go back to the first of this message and read again what was said about how God looks upon us after we break just one of His commandments you will understand. Once we commit that first sin as far as God is concerned we are breaking His laws (or sinning) constantly. Even if we were to go the rest of our life and never committed a second sin. But we all know that will not be so. We are sinful people and break God's law many, many times.

Let's take a look at our human nature and how it influences our life to do evil. Our human nature is evil and can do no good - hence we as humans can do no good. IF we were to get to heaven by our own works then it would have to be by keeping the law to absolute perfection. Let's read:

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith OF Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Again, if we were to get to heaven by our own works it would have to be through the keeping of the law as mentioned before - all of them. But because of our inability to keep these laws making it impossible for us to gain merit to get to heaven by this means - God has now declared that we will not get to heaven through the law but by faith in Jesus Christ and putting our trust in HIS works. Now let's go to Romans 3:9-20 and find out what our human nature is like by reading these scriptures:

Romans 3:9-20
What then? Are we better than they No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: ; Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. 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.

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the HEART (or our human nature) and they defile the man for out of the heart (human nature) proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

Now the works of the flesh (our human nature) are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, envies, murder, drunkenness, ravelings, and such like.

Which Things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy ghost teacheth: comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man (our human nature) 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.

Not a pretty picture is it? But that is how God sees us after we have committed our first sin. Just a no good being where there is evil continually in our makeup. It is very humbling indeed, but that is how God wants us, humbled creatures willing to accept HIM as our Savior.

Note one thing in all the scriptures quoted above. The one common denominator is that: WE CAN'T. We cannot understand the things of the spirit - our mind is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be - etc., all point to one thing WE CAN'T do the things God demands of us. This in Christian theologies is called 'THE DEPRAVITY OF MAN'. The word itself is never used in scripture, but it's meaning sure is. There are many definitions of that word depravity - but I think the best and easiest to understand is just simply 'WE CAN'T - or I CAN'T. And if we can't meet the demands of God then we must put our trust in one who already has met those demands and even went further and bore the punishment we should receive for our sins. That is the Lord Jesus Christ. And He is very willing to turn over all His credits He earned from His righteous living to you if you will turn all your responsibilities over to Him and just trust that He has accomplished every demand of God - for you personally, not someone else - but you personally. You have nothing to do as far as gaining any merits that will get you any right standing with God. It has all been taken care of in Christ. BELIEVE IT!! TRUST IT!! YOUR ETERNAL LIFE DEPENDS ON IT! IT IS TRUE!!

As noted in what we just read - if we were to be justified by our own works it would have to be through our own efforts in keeping the law. But Romans 3:20 and Galatians 3:24-25 plainly states that it is not by us keeping the law that saves us, or makes us righteous, and gets us to heaven.

Note it continues on to say that the law was never meant to save us, but only to act as a schoolmaster. What does a schoolmaster do? Teaches - right? So What does the law teach? Indirectly it teaches us that we CAN'T achieve the demands God expects of us. It does this by allowing us to compare our abilities to meet God's demands with what God expects of us - Not comparing our selves with other people - but with God Himself. If we are honest, we will soon realize there is no way we can meet those demands and if we ever expect to meet them it is by putting our trust in the one and only person who was able to keep them and urges us to accept His perfection instead. If we come to that point of realizing all this and turn all our trust toward Him - He will not turn us away.

That is what God wants us to understand. Because then, and only then, when we understand that WE CAN'T will we stop trying to keep the law for our salvation - but turn to the one who has already kept them all to perfection, and will impute HIS righteousness He earned by His right living (the keeping of the law from birth to death) and then paid the penalty we deserve for the sins we committed all our life. CHRIST HAS FULFILLED THE LAW IN IT'S ENTIRETY!!. Let's read:

Think not that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; (Adam) much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offense of one Judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one (CHRIST) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

By the unrighteousness of Adam imputed to us by natural birth we are sinful creatures bound for hell. By the righteousness Of Christ imputed to us when we accept His works instead of our own we become righteous and are bound for heaven.

Let's look at one more scripture to enforce this teaching of WE CAN'T be good enough to satisfy God. Let's turn to:

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags: and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and has consumed us, because of our iniquities. But now, O lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of they hand.

None can stir up HIMSELF to do good. That is quite plain language. If we cannot and will not stir up ourselves to do good, then what does? This is important - very important - to understand where our belief, our faith, our repentance, our setting apart, and obedience (all of which are good works) comes from. Here it plainly states it does not come from us. So it must come from God. Note it says we are GOD'S workmanship. A piece of pottery made the way the master potter molds us, as it pleases God, who is that master molder. It has nothing to do with us - what we become - A great man of God like Paul, or just the average Christian - it is all in the hands of the master molder. What we are - what we become is all molded by the master molder - NOT US!! Whether to a high station - or low. We never can boast of anything we ever did to gain any prominence. We are what we are by the Grace of God - molded by the master builder!! This truth is repeated in Romans 9.

Taking all these scriptures into consideration, I come to the same conclusion Paul does in:

I come to the same conclusion - and I hope you the reader will do the same. Give credit where credit is due in your salvation!!

God is the one who stirs us up - that makes the difference in our life. How?? Let's first look at a promise made way back in Old Testament times. Let's read:

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.

He promises He will put a new Spirit in us - His HOLY SPIRIT. And that Holy Spirit He plants in us is what causes all the changes - our believing in Him, our faith in Him, our repentance, our keeping of God's statutes. (His demands of us) - all caused by this Holy Spirit God has planted within us. When does this entrance of the Holy spirit take place? Note first in:

Jesus answered and said unto him' verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?. Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 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.

Jesus states quite clearly here that without that Holy spirit He promised to put in us in Ezekiel that we can never 'SEE' (understand or comprehend) the teachings of God or anything of a spiritual nature. If we can't 'SEE' it with our Spiritual eye we will never SEE it with our physical eye - enter God's Kingdom. That is very plain. Note that word 'CANNOT' again to emphasize our Depravity - or incapability in doing spiritual good on our own.

You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversion in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, ( by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

This gives a very graphic picture of God planting his Holy Spirit in our heart and the changes that it brings about. THE BEFORE AND AFTER EFFECTS OF THE ENTRANCE OF GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT IN ONE. In 2 Corinthians we are told of this change - and if there is no change once we claim to be born again - that's probably all it is - a claim, not a fact. Let's read:

Yes we have become new creatures - most definitely - because now we have two spirits dwelling in us - our own human nature( or spirit) plus we now have God's Holy Spirit in us. This Holy Spirit that now dwells within us is called by several names in the New Testament - Life, light, God's Holy Spirit, The Seed - and the divine nature. These all refer to the Holy Spirit that now has taken up residence in the believer.

I personally like the term - 'New Nature'. Why? Because if we understand what nature is - and it's influence in how we live, how it causes us to think and do the things we do, then we would understand better how this Holy nature will influence our lives now that it is in us. Remember how I mentioned the influence of our own human nature - and how we cannot live outside of that influence the human nature has on us. We have noted that that human nature is nothing but a bad influence on our life. Now we have a new Nature - God's holy nature - so of course that Holy nature dwelling in us is going to have some definite influence on how we live - A good influence - an influence pleasing to God. We still have our human nature too though. Because of this there will always be a conflict between' our 'nothing but evil' human nature and 'nothing but good' Holy nature. I don't think you have to look far to see that in any person claiming to be a Christian. One moment he is Godly and a person proud to know in the Lord. Then something happens and that one loses his cool and soon becomes very ungodly. Why? Because that old nature is still there and it does not take much for it to show it's ugly self. The conflict between these two natures are described in Romans seven. We will not go there but we will go to Galatians 5:17 to see that same description of that conflict between our own nature and that of the Holy nature dwelling in a saved person.

There is that cannot again. That old human nature even interferes with the Holy spirit and we cannot be perfect as we wish we could as the Holy spirit puts that desire in us. But let's look at the influence the Holy Spirit does make in us. Let's read:

Against such there is no law. What a statement!! There is no law that one could devise that could give people those fruits (the results of planted seed) of the Holy Spirit planted in us. It comes from one source only - the influence of the Holy Spirit at work within us. This could also be called GRACE - for grace according to STRONG's BIBLE CONCORDANCE means the influence that the Holy Spirit has in every aspect of our lives. All of which is included in the common explanation of what 'grace' means - unmerited favor. But unless one understands what it is that is unmerited then that does not tell one much. From the understanding of how God's holy nature influences us you must see that I agree with that explanation of grace 100 per cent. It is just a different way of saying the same thing.

Along with these changes this new nature in us will bring big changes in the way we think - and this will bring about changes in our lifestyle - what we do, what we say, our likes, our dislikes, our taste in dress, in music, our entertainment. We will change completely inside - but our outward appearance will not change and as a result the world will be baffled by the changes made in us. They will hate us because they just can't understand why we are so different.

Look Back at Galatians 5:22 again. Note the first change the new nature will bring about. LOVE. The love of God is in us, and that produces a love from us toward God, and returns in love toward our fellow man - our neighbor. As Jesus stated long ago, if we keep these two demands then all the rest would fall into place. What did he mean by that?? I thing it only reasonable to say that if we had the love of God in us, which results in a return love towards God and secondly to our neighbor then we would not be so quick to kill him, or steal from him, or commit adultery with our neighbor's spouse, or anything else harmful to them. So Jesus is correct. If we have God's love in us - that will result in love toward God, our neighbors - and the desire to harm our neighbor will disappear. Think how the crime rate will go down if all could keep the law!!

Once while Jesus was talking to His disciples He said to them that unless their righteousness exceeded that of the Sadducees and Pharisees that they would never enter the Kingdom of God. That must have really floored those disciples because in their mind - and probably to ours as well - there was no better living men in the world - then or now than these experts and enforcers of the laws of Moses. How could anyone live any better than they?. All this proves one thing - that God just does not recognize any good works which we might achieve. Remember Isaiah where it says that God sees our best works as nothing but a bunch of filthy rags. He just does not recognize ANY Good works on our part. The only good works He recognizes is those of Christ that have been imputed to us. The very thing I have been trying to bring out in this message. We do not gain access to heaven by our own good works. Remember right from the beginning I pointed out that if we were to get to heaven by our own works which is by the keeping of God's laws and demands then we would have to keep them in totality. Not break one - or fail to follow instructions in the minutest detail. If we did - we fail. It's that simple. These men I mentioned above may have been good living men as far as human standards go. But they never met God's criteria in that He demands absolute obedience - 100%, Just like Jesus. And of course they did not reach that standard of perfection. Since they never met that standard of perfection then they had to put their trust in the one who did - Jesus Christ just like any other man who ever walked the face of this earth!! . He is the only one who has ever met God's high standard. However, He is willing to let you be covered by His perfection in place of Him if you are willing to accept his perfection in place of your own imperfection for that very important event - your entrance into heaven. He has gone one step further. He also has agreed, and already has bore all the shame and punishment you should receive for the sins you have committed. All you have to do is accept what Christ has done - as done for you. You have nothing to do. Jesus has done it all for you.

Does this mean I can accept what Jesus has done - then go on and live any life style I wish? That is a question that is commonly asked. And I suppose that technically it is true. But look closely at all that has been said throughout this article. Has it not been said that when you are born of this new nature that that new nature is going to make you a new creature? That the way you think will change, the things you like to do will change, your whole way of life will change due to the influence of God's holy nature dwelling in you. Just like He promised way back in Ezekiel 36:26,27 - I will put a my Spirit within you and cause you to keep my precepts. A promise kept!! If a person continues to think - and live as he did before he claims Jesus as Savior, then he better take another look at himself and his confession. If there is no change brought about by that new nature that you claim is living in you, then on the authority of God's word, I doubt if you really do have God's spirit in you. You are not born of God's Holy Spirit at all. Let's take a look at one more scripture;

Who so ever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he CANNOT sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is NOT of God, neither he that loveth not his brother

I know there is some controversy here. It states that a born again person cannot sin. But I accept other versions of the Bible who make it read this way. Whosoever is born of God cannot live a life of continual sin because of that new nature (the seed) that lives in him. I think that is exactly the case - mainly because it agrees with everything else we have discussed in this article. We have seen that we have two natures - that there is going to be conflict between them, that the human nature will cause us to err - but we also have the Holy nature which will cause us to Love God and His ways. So I believe that to say we cannot live a life of continuous sin - but there will be failures - is more accurate and totally consistent with the rest of the Bible. Note the latter part - the difference between the unsaved is manifested - or made apparent, or demonstrated - in this manner - the children of the devil live a life of sin. The child of God who has God's nature born within will live a life of righteousness - not perfect - but much better than the ungodly.

In closing .- let's go back to my statement I made at the beginning. We are saved by works. But who's works - our own, or those of Jesus Christ imputed to us? I think it has been made clear why we can not depend on our own works. Have you left off depending on your own works - turned all your responsibilities over to Jesus Christ? He has taken care of everything. Just trust that fact and you will some day meet Him in heaven - your Savior and my Savior and Lord.