How do we know salvation is by faith and not works?

Romans 3:20 clearly states that by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified. This declaration emphasizes that works cannot change our guilty status before God. Throughout the New Testament, we find that salvation is attributed not to human effort or adherence to the law but to faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9 reinforces this truth, stating that by grace we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. This concept underscores the necessity of relying solely on Christ's completed work for salvation, highlighting our total inability to earn our standing before God.