Is True Salvation In Christ By Faith Plus Works Or By Faith Alone?

Why do TRUE Christians do good works? Not to EARN or contribute towards their salvation but out of GRATITUDE for receiving salvation. And if you don’t agree with this statement, it is because you have not yet received true salvation… salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ and His merits alone!
 
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” Titus 3:5
 
And please don’t think that James chapter 2 means the Church of Rome is correct about their claims denying salvation by faith alone. That is not what James is saying if you bother to look at James 2:18 and Romans 11:6. In James 2:18 James is pointing out that good works will be the FRUIT of salvation, the FRUIT of a changed heart, the FRUIT of regeneration by the Holy Spirit. James had EXPERIENCED this salvation, this Holy Spirit regeneration, so he knew what he was talking about.
 
“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James 2:18
 
Those who have NOT experienced true salvation, true regeneration by the Holy Spirit cannot SEE this spiritual truth. Those unsaved individuals are what the bible refers to as “the natural man” as mentioned here:
 
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14
 
The apostle Paul emphatically declares that salvation by grace is NOT tied to the sinner’s works:
 
“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Romans 11:6
 
And if we look at various passages throughout the Bible, we will see that our works do not FIX our sin problem and they do not UNDO our unrighteousness problem.
 
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;” Isaiah 64:6
 
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” Romans 3:10
 
Only the blood of the precious Lamb of God can CURE us of our sin problem:
 
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18-19
 

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