Can good work save your soul? Let's see what the Bible says on
this week's edition of Liberty at Home.
Hey there, hey there. Welcome to our latest episode of
Liberty at Home, recorded from the studios of ECAT and brought
to you by the Liberty Baptist Church of Easton.
I'm your host, Pastor Adam Rivero, and I'm honored as
always to get to spend a few minutes with you each week on
our broadcast. Today, as we do each week, we're
broadcasting from Easton, MA, where new pond is frozen over
and ice fishing has officially commenced.
Today we're going to tackle an issue that I hear more often
than almost any other that I encounter as a pastor.
Can good work save a soul? So we'll start by reading
Galatians chapter 3, verses 22 through 26, which say this.
But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise
by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto
the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us into
Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But after that faith has come, we are no longer under a
schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of
God by faith in Christ Jesus. So, can good works save a soul?
Can someone gain entrance to heaven by being a good person?
Like I just mentioned, there are fewer questions I receive more
often than these. Now, why is that?
Because, well, for the most part, people want to be assured
of a place of eternal peace and rest when they pass from this
world. The question, however, is
whether we can earn or achieve our way into such a place.
You know, as a teenager I grappled with these same
questions. I came from a religious
background where good works and sacraments, along with faith
were necessary for the hope of eternal life.
However, this left me with many questions that I just couldn't
answer. The main one was this.
How do I know that I've been good enough to achieve eternal
life? To answer that question, I began
to search the Bible. One of the places my search
brought me was to Galatians chapter 2, verse 16.
Consider these words, knowing that a man is not justified by
the works of the law, but by faith of Christ Jesus.
Even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law.
For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
A few sentences later, verse 23 continues.
I did not frustrate the grace of God for if righteousness came by
the law then Christ is dead in vain.
This passage of scripture helped me understand the foundational
truth that following the law cannot save a person's soul.
You see being a law abiding person cannot bring salvation to
a soul due to the nature of what the law is.
You see the law and the Bible teaches us of the law that each
of us is a Sinner. Romans 310 says as it is written
there is none righteous, no not one.
Romans 323 continues the thought and says for all of sinned and
come short of the glory of God, the sin comes at a price and
Romans 623 states that the wages of sin is death.
Knowing that we have this predicament, is the law capable
of saving us from death and hell?
The answer is clear that it cannot because the law can only
show us that we've done wrong. It can't remove the wrongs we've
already done. This is true in our legal system
and it's also true of God as well.
The law cannot save us because the law was never meant to save
us. It was put in place to reveal to
us that we're sinners in need of a Savior.
Paul continues this conversation about law and faith in Galatians
chapter 3, verses 14 through 16. Wherefore the law was our
schoolmaster or teacher to bring us unto Christ, that we might be
justified by faith. After that faith has come, we
are no longer under a schoolmaster, for you're all the
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
The Bible isn't just clear about this issue in Galatians, but
also in the entire Word of God. Following the law and doing good
works can't save a soul, Isaiah 64 verse 6 tells us.
But we are always an unclean thing, and all of our
unrighteousnesses, or all of our righteousness rather, are as
filthy rags. Using good works to clean your
soul is like trying to clean your hands with a dirty towel
will never truly be clean. Instead, we see that the blood
of Jesus Christ is what cleanses us truly from our sin.
Ephesians 289 tells us, For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves.
It's the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast
as we call upon Jesus Christ and repent of our sins, He has
promised to save us, as it says in Romans 10 verses 9 and 10 and
13. If you're trusting and good
works to gain favor with God, I encourage you, just like I did,
search the Scriptures for yourself.
I had to do the same in my own life, and what I found changed
my life forever. I pray that your exploration of
the Word of God will bring the peace that you long for.
Well, it's time to end this episode of Liberty at Home.
But before I do, I want to remind you that we'd be so happy
to have you visit us at LBC this coming Sunday.
After all, we're in the neighborhood just up the road at
800 Washington St. here in Easton.
For more information, including about services, podcasts and
more, visit mylibertybaptist.org.
I'm Pastor Adam Rivero, signing off with a reminder, as always,
that we're the Spirit of the Lord Is there's liberty.
Catch next week on ECAT for another episode of Liberty at
Home.