Scripture is unambiguous when it comes to a person’s opportunity for redemption. By God’s grace, eternal salvation has been made available to mankind. Absent that grace, no one would or could be saved given the manner in which sin has permeated every facet of human life. Similarly, faith is necessary for an individual to realize saved status. Most believers agree on these tenets of Christianity.
God’s Word is also clear that no one can earn his/her way to heaven by performing good works since works cannot wash away sins. This cleansing is only available through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Even the blood sacrifices of the Old Testament were insufficient when it came to cleansing humankind of sin.
If the opportunity for redemption is made available by God’s grace and salvation is attained through faith as opposed to good deeds (Ephesians 2: 8-9), why would the Apostle John declare that people will be judged according to their works (Revelation 20: 12)? Is this a biblical contradiction? Has the apostle made a grievous error?
This work offers a biblical discussion of the relationship between grace, faith, and works, including a look into exactly what John meant when he stated that judgment will be according to works.
