Salvation By Works

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. - John 17:4

    In this prayer to his Father, our Lord speaks of the great work of redemption which he accomplished for his people. If there is one passage in all holy writ that should silence the works religionists, it would be this one. The salvation of the elect is by works, but not by our works. The salvation of poor sinners is by the perfect work of our Redeemer, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us (Ti 3:5).

    The perfect work of Christ is the only work that God Almighty will accept, and has already accepted it, from all eternity. Christ’s perfect work guarantees the acceptance of all those for whom he performed it, by the Father. The work that our Lord is speaking of is the establishing of a perfect, justifying righteousness for the elect of God as their substitute. The Father’s demand of perfect obedience to his holy, just, inflexible law from his people, Christ performed to the letter. Anything less is an abomination to the Father, slanders the blessed Son of God, and is a reproach to the Gospel of God‘s grace. The work that our Lord finished is the putting away of his people’s sin. Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself (Heb 9:26). Man can no more put away sin than he can establish righteousness. Man cannot, Christ can, and bless his name, he did! He said, it is finished, and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.

    Therefore, there is absolutely nothing that can be attributed to man, or the works of man, in the great work of salvation. Yet many say that it is up to man to make his work effectual, by accepting Jesus in a supposed act of an imaginary free will. Not according to God! This is the work of God as well, for No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him (Jn 6:44).

    Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father (Jn 6:65). The call of God in regeneration to faith in Christ is not something we do, it is a work of the sovereign Spirit of the living God. It is the Spirit that gives life, not the letter of the law. Christ in you is the life of the believing sinner. Salvation is indeed by works, but not those of the sinner. Salvation is by the work of the Saviour. Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall savehispeople from their sins (Mt 1:21).