Christians reject works-based salvation because Scripture teaches that salvation is by grace through faith, not works.
Salvation by works is fundamentally opposed to the gospel of grace presented in Scripture. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul explains that we are saved by grace through faith, not of ourselves—meaning that no one can boast about their accomplishments. The rejection of works-based salvation is rooted in the understanding that all human efforts are insufficient to merit God's favor. Therefore, true believers rest entirely on the saving work of Christ, recognizing that any form of merit-based belief undermines the gospel itself. In Galatians, Paul warns against this perversion of the message, stressing that any addition of works to faith corrupts the essence of grace.
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