Are we saved by any one thing “alone”?

By Carl O. Cooper

               Our mental, physical, physiological, and genetic makeup, as well as, but to a lesser degree, our environment, determine our personalities. All this determines how we reason and how we react to the world around us. And this plays an important role in how we react to what the Bible has to say.

               When we read about law and doctrine, faith and works, love and obedience, and grace, our personalities sometimes get in the way and cloud our understanding of the Bible’s real message in all of these words. It is so easy for our personalities to determine where we will focus our emphasis and miss the overall message. A tender hearted person, for instance, could place their emphasis on the acts of love and grace and completely miss what the Bible has to say about law, doctrine, and works. Another person might get so focused on doctrine that he completely forgets that the Bible also speaks about faith and love.

               The truth is, in respect to our salvation and as to what is required by God for us to be saved, then every one of these words carries the weight of our salvation. Our salvation depends on all of these things and we cannot be saved without them all. It is when we elevate one over the others that we create a problem. When one or two stand alone, more important and over the others, they will not save our souls.

               We are saved by Grace. God has given us a plan of salvation whereby we can be saved. This was given to us by His grace. We did nothing to merit it. It was a free gift. God gave this gift to man out of the goodness of His own heart, not because we deserved it at all. We are saved by the grace of God, but “grace alone” does not save. If that was so, then everyone would be saved. God has placed conditions on how this grace is distributed to man.

               One of the conditions that God has placed on being able to receive forgiveness and justification by His grace is faith. We are told in Heb. 11: 6, “without faith it is impossible to please Him”. Faith is a very important prerequisite to having our sins forgiven. No matter what we do, without faith it is not acceptable to God.

               But faith that leads us into obedience to God’s instructions is the type of faith that saves. Obedience (works) saves us, but not without faith. (James 2: 21-23) “Faith without works is dead”, (James 2: 20).

               But what is the difference between law and works? Are they the same? This is an area that confuses many people. If we cannot be saved by law, how then can we be saved by works? Works are obedience to law. Disobedience to law produces sin (1 John 3: 4). If a man could perfectly obey law and therefore have perfect works, he would not need salvation, for he would never have sinned. God has always required that salvation be accomplished by works. Could Noah have been saved had he not obeyed God by building the arc? (1 Peter 3: 20). Could Abraham have been saved had he not offered Isaac as a sacrifice as God commanded? (James 2: 21). Can we be saved today without obeying God’s gospel plan of salvation? (Faith, repentance, confession and baptism for the remission of our sins) God has always required works in order to be saved. But works without faith are useless.

               Salvation without obedience is impossible. Heb. 5: 9 tells us that Christ is the source of “eternal salvation to all who obey Him”, and 1 Peter 4: 17says, “Judgment is the outcome of those who do not obey the Gospel of God”.  This “Gospel of God” is “Doctrine”. Can we be saved without the correct doctrine of God? No, we cannot, no more than we can be saved without the correct Gospel of God.

               But what about love? Isn’t the Bible all about love? Surely if we have the love of God in our heart then God’s grace will save us. Won’t this override all this “rule keeping” philosophy? Why isn’t love and faith enough?

               There are so many definitions of love. It seems there is a definition to suit any personality. The Bible’s definition of the love required for salvation is the same as obedience. 1 John 5: 2-3 makes this exceptionally clear. “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commandments. This is the love for God; to obey His commandments”.

               We do not read about law and doctrine, faith and works, love and obedience, and grace all in one place in the Bible. They are highlighted in the areas where they are discussed. And sometimes we are told of their great importance individually. But let us never think that standing alone any one or two of these requirements is all we need. And let us not get “hung up” on any one to the neglect of the others. All are required by God to be saved.

Carl O. Cooper