Is justification for sinners based on faith or works?

According to Scripture, justification is a gift from God received through faith alone. In Luke 18, the publican is justified not through his works but through his humble plea for mercy. Jesus reflects this truth when He says that the one who humbles himself will be exalted. This means that salvation is not obtained by our efforts or goodness, but entirely through God's grace. This underscores the historic Reformed view that we are justified by faith alone, aligning with the core concept of sovereign grace and the sufficiency of Christ's sacrificial work.