Why a works gospel destroys grace
Grace is defined as 'divine love and protection bestowed freely on people'. 'The state of being protected and sanctified by the favour of God.'
There is nothing we can do to earn salvation. Salvation comes through the grace of God alone - an undeserved gift, made available to us through the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the cross. God loves the world so much that he sent His one and only son to die for you, to take the punishment that you deserve, that whoever believes on Him shall not die but have eternal life. Whoever believes on Him shall be joined to God, as He intended us to be.
God created man to have a personal relationship with Him. Sin stops that from happening. The sacrifice of Jesus has the power to cover that sin and allow us to have a relationship with God once more. God's heart aches for you and longs for you to repent and trust in Christ. Now do not think that by accepting Christ you are doing God any favours. This is not about you, it is about the never-ending love of Christ!
You cannot earn God's favour through things you do because it's not about you. It's not about what you have done, it's about what Christ has done for you!
Read Romans 4:4-5: Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
What the Bible is saying is clear. When you have a job you get paid for you work. When you receive the pay-check you do not thank your employer for such a kind, undeserved gift. You expect to receive your wage because you have worked for it. You have earned it! Your employer does not pay you through grace. He pays you because he is obliged to pay you. He is indebted to you. Giving something by grace is impossible if you have worked for it.
With God, you receive the gift without doing any work. This is grace! He is not giving you eternal life because He is obliged to do so for work you have completed. He is giving you eternal life because He loves you. You cannot earn God's grace because to earn it means that you deserve it. As soon as you deserve it, it is no longer grace. You cannot earn God's salvation. You can only receive it through grace by putting your trust in Christ and what He has done for you.
For another illustration of this point read the parable of the workers in the vineyard:
Matthew 20:1-16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’
8 “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what isyours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
God does not give grace because you have earned it. Grace is an undeserved gift. If you are able to do something worthy of receiving the gift then it is no longer grace. God gives you grace because He loves you. Do not ignore Him.
There is nothing we can do to earn salvation. Salvation comes through the grace of God alone - an undeserved gift, made available to us through the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the cross. God loves the world so much that he sent His one and only son to die for you, to take the punishment that you deserve, that whoever believes on Him shall not die but have eternal life. Whoever believes on Him shall be joined to God, as He intended us to be.
God created man to have a personal relationship with Him. Sin stops that from happening. The sacrifice of Jesus has the power to cover that sin and allow us to have a relationship with God once more. God's heart aches for you and longs for you to repent and trust in Christ. Now do not think that by accepting Christ you are doing God any favours. This is not about you, it is about the never-ending love of Christ!
You cannot earn God's favour through things you do because it's not about you. It's not about what you have done, it's about what Christ has done for you!
Read Romans 4:4-5: Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
What the Bible is saying is clear. When you have a job you get paid for you work. When you receive the pay-check you do not thank your employer for such a kind, undeserved gift. You expect to receive your wage because you have worked for it. You have earned it! Your employer does not pay you through grace. He pays you because he is obliged to pay you. He is indebted to you. Giving something by grace is impossible if you have worked for it.
With God, you receive the gift without doing any work. This is grace! He is not giving you eternal life because He is obliged to do so for work you have completed. He is giving you eternal life because He loves you. You cannot earn God's grace because to earn it means that you deserve it. As soon as you deserve it, it is no longer grace. You cannot earn God's salvation. You can only receive it through grace by putting your trust in Christ and what He has done for you.
For another illustration of this point read the parable of the workers in the vineyard:
Matthew 20:1-16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’
8 “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what isyours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
God does not give grace because you have earned it. Grace is an undeserved gift. If you are able to do something worthy of receiving the gift then it is no longer grace. God gives you grace because He loves you. Do not ignore Him.
-BACChristian
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