We Don’t Believe Works Save Us

This is a lesson in a series called “Things We Don’t Believe”. The church of Christ is often “accused” by other denominations of teaching error. One reason for this is because we don’t accept any change to the instructions and examples found in the word of God. There, in the Bible, we find complete authority belongs to Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18) and none belongs to man. Within the pages or the Holy Word of God, we find the pattern (Hebrews 8:5; 2 Timothy 1:13; Philippians 3:17)  everything the church does and all that pertains to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

We chose to change nothing, add nothing nor take anything away from what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6), and we have become a “thorn in the side” to the many religious teachers in the multitudes of denominations who are even contradictory to each other.

Therefore, when we want to know how one soul can be saved, we “search the scriptures” (Act 17:11), and ask “what say the scriptures” (Rom. 4:30; Gal. 4:30), then we abide by what they say (2 John 1:9-11). Then we have confidence that like Paul, we “have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:7). Thus, there are many things we wish we could change, but not one word of the Bible is to change, for that would only bring condemnation from “…Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

The word of God must never change, we don’t believe baptism saves us, i.e., water saves us, but it is in baptism where one is dead to sin, buried with Christ and then raised to walk a newness of life (Romans 6:3-4), and it is in death that Christ’s blood was poured out (John 19:34) and there is where the saving blood is applied and at that time the repentant sinner’s sins are washed (Acts 2:38, 22:16).

In this lesson we address the accusation that we believe and teach one can be saved by works. We also don’t believe or teach that but we do teach that obedience to the commandments of God, Christ Jesus our Lord and King and Master are necessary. Many religious leaders have perverted the gospel of Jesus Christ, teaching that, “You are saved by faith / grace and nothing else”. Actually the scripture they pervert is from Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9 which state, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast.” You might compare the two teachings and notice that God never said “one is saved by faith and nothing else”. God says, “saved through faint” and He also tells us from where faith comes, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

In this lesson I will expound on that issue and others, to the end that we believe and teach what the scriptures say, that obedience to the commands of the New Testament, are necessary if one wishes to be saved. Not meritorious works, but works of faith as James stated, “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [a]dead?” (James 2:20)…