What does the Bible say about human merit and grace?

Scripture teaches that human merit cannot earn salvation or favor with God. In Luke 17:10, Jesus instructs us to consider ourselves unprofitable servants, emphasizing that even after fulfilling our duties, we cannot boast about our works. This is a direct blow to the concept of sinless perfection and self-righteousness. The call is to recognize that salvation is a sovereign gift from God, where human efforts play no role in earning grace. The Apostle Paul elaborates on this in Romans 3:24, stating that we are justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.