Can someone be justified (saved) through good works alone? Romans 3:20-26 says, “20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (NKJV).
Here Paul is speaking to a mixed crowd of Jews and gentiles. Jews claimed to be justified by the Law of Moses. The problem is that no man (except Jesus) has or can keep the Law perfectly, so he must constantly make sacrifice as atonement:”by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight”. The purpose of the Law was not to justify unto salvation, but to make it clear how far man is from perfection: “the Law is the knowledge of sin.”
Righteousness is Revealed
The Law pointed to Jesus (the messiah). The prophets foretold of Jesus. The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled over 350 Old Testament prophesies concerning the Christ. Jesus did not abolish the Law, he fulfilled it and freed mankind from its bonds. Now, righteousness comes from God through faith in Jesus Christ (Christ being what he is, not his last name) and is given to all who believe: Jew, gentile, man, woman, rich, poor, black, white, brown, yellow, red, there is no difference for all have sinned and are falling short of the glory of God.
Salvation comes through faith in Jesus. Faith yields obedience to the commandments of Jesus. Obedience produces good works. Good works don’t save, but salvation yields good works.
Can someone do good works or be a good person without salvation? Most assuredly! But being a kind, caring, compassionate person who rejects Jesus still leaves them without hope on the Day of Judgment. Isn’t that horribly unfair? How could a loving God do such a thing? God doesn’t do it. God states clearly “Believe in Jesus and follow Him for eternal life.”, anyone who chooses to reject that call makes their own choice. God will simply stand by what He said.
Righteousness: a right standing in the sight of God, comes only through faith in Jesus:”that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”. True faith yields obedience, obedience means we become like Jesus. When we are like Jesus, we will want to do, and are able to do, all the good things Jesus did while He walked upon the earth.
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Going deeper: http://www.truthortradition.com/articles/created-for-good-works
