Which One Is Right

When you face the question of salvation and how a person is saved there is one way.   During the Dark Ages the church taught that a man was saved by faith plus doing certain things.  The early church (meaning before Constantine) never taught this doctrine but this false doctrine evolved out of tradition over many years.  Then came Martin Luther and the reading once more of the Scriptures, that had been hidden, all these years and the Reformers realized that the Bible taught that a man was saved by faith alone.  The Scripture that changed Martin Luther’s heart was, Roman 1:17, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is writen, the Just shall live by faith.”  In fact, a similar statement occurs at least two more times in the Scriptures, “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith” (Hab 2:4).  And, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Heb. 10:38).  If there is any confusion on this subject, Paul explains further in the following verses.  “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…”(Rom 3:24).  And, “Where is boasting then?  It is excluded.  By what law?  Of works?  Nay: but by the law of faith” (Rom. 3:28).  Therfore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

In Ephesians, Paul again makes this truth of Faith and Grace very plain, “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).  According to Scripture, man cannot do anything to make himself acceptable to God except come to the Father in faith believing in Jesus Christ and confessing his sins.  Then God in love forgives his sins and saves him and gives to him the gift of eternal life.

Some will say that is too easy.  And that is true, it is easy.  That is why Christ is able to say , “suffer the little children to come to me.”  However, mankind has the tendency to complicate salvation by adding works.  This is the difference.  All other faiths or religions involve some level of works to get to heaven.  Whether it is praying in a certain direction, kharma, going to mass, praying to the saints, baptism, all other faiths involving some level of works by man.  While the true path and only path to God is through grace.