8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
John 14:6 NIV Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
It is true that if you take Jesus out of the picture, no amount of works will save us. So we are all dependent upon the grace of Jesus Christ for our salvation. Jesus is the Savior and he decides who he will save and who he will not. The problem we run into is that there are those who think that they do not need to do anything and possibly believe that they can sin all they wish and Jesus will save them into the kingdom of heaven. However, this is not what Jesus taught. He taught that even though our works do not save us into the kingdom of God, he still requires us to do good works before he will save us with his grace.
Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
From these verses we learn that even though works are not what saves, we are still required to engage in doing the works of righteousness before we will be allowed into the kingdom of heaven. Paul tells the Ephesians that our works are not what saves us but that salvation only comes by the grace of Jesus Christ. However, only those who do the will of the Father will find entrance into the kingdom of heaven and that we were all created in Christ Jesus unto good works. So even though our works do not save us, they are required of us before Jesus will grant his saving grace. The verse above tells us that we are only saved by grace but that it is also through faith that we obtain that grace. Paul has also taught that in order to have faith you must have works, for faith without works is dead.
James 2:17-26
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 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.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
So based on these verses, faith without works is a dead faith. You must do good works to maintain a living faith in Jesus Christ. And, as stated before, we receive the saving grace of Jesus Christ through exercising faith in Jesus Christ even though it is not our works that do the saving.
That's the proof that you don't know.
