Why is trusting in works religion not sufficient for salvation?

The sermon emphasizes that religion and good works do not equate to true salvation. In Judges 10, Israel's pleas for deliverance were ultimately hollow because they were based on their religious efforts rather than true faith in God. Works religion is described as futile—akin to hewing out broken cisterns that can hold no water (Jeremiah 2:13). Such efforts cannot alter our sinful nature or bring us to true life. It is only through the grace of God in Jesus Christ that we find salvation, which is not the result of our actions but entirely dependent on His mercy and kindness.