“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8).
Often, when one teaches that obedience is necessary for salvation, he is accused of teaching that we earn our salvation. Passages like the one above are sometimes cited as “proof” that there is nothing we must do to be saved. But is it even possible for salvation to be earned? Is it possible to live in such a way that God owes us a home in heaven?
The Scriptures plainly teach that salvation is by grace (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8; Titus 3:7). Grace is a gift from God. As Paul wrote, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Why is grace necessary? It is because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). No one has lived a life of perfect obedience except Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:21-22). We have all sinned. When we sin, we violate God’s law (1 John 3:4) and are, therefore, worthy of spiritual death. There is nothing we can do to go back and undo the sins we have committed. If we avoid eternal punishment, it will be by the grace of God.
But what if one could live a life of perfect obedience? If that were possible, would such a person have earned salvation and a home in heaven? The answer is no. Again, notice what Paul said: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). When we sin, we deserve the wages of sin – spiritual death. What if we never sin? All we deserve then is to not be cast into eternal hell. We still do not deserve heaven. Even if a person lived his entire life without committing one sin and, therefore, does not deserve punishment, it would still be an act of God’s grace to grant such a one a place in heaven.
The fact is, salvation by grace does not nullify the need to obey. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8) and are made “for good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus is “to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9). Jesus said, “He who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” the kingdom (Matthew 7:21). God has simply placed certain conditions upon receiving His grace. We must meet these conditions to be saved by His grace.
Obedience earns us nothing. A life of faithful service does not change the fact that we are “unworthy slaves” (Luke 17:10). Instead of trying to rationalize what God really requires and what He does not, we should simply resolve to do all that He has instructed (Matthew 28:20). God, through His grace, will save all those who, through their faith, obey Him.
