Salvation by Works
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Table of Contents
Salvation by Works
THE IDEA of salvation by the merit of our own works is exceedingly insinuating. It matters not how often it is refuted, it asserts itself again
and again; and when it gains the least foothold, it soon makes great advances. Hence Paul, who was determined to show it no quarter, opposed everything which bore its likeness. He was determined not to permit the thin edge of the wedge to be introduced into the Church, for well he knew that willing hands would soon be driving it home; hence, when Peter sided with the Judaizing party, and seemed to favor those who demanded that the Gentiles should be circumcised, our brave apostle withstood him to the face.
He fought always for salvation by grace through faith, and contended strenuously against all thought of righteousness by obedience to the precepts of the ceremonial law. No one could be more explicit than he upon the doctrine that we are not justified or saved by works in any degree, but solely by the grace of God. His trumpet gave forth no uncertain sound, but gave forth the clear note, "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Eph. 2:8,9.) Grace meant grace with him, and he could not endure any tampering with the matter, or any frittering away of its meaning.
So fascinating is the doctrine of legal righteousness that the only way to deal with it is Paul's way. Never yield to it; but remember the apostle's firmness, and how stoutly he held his ground: "To whom," saith he, "we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour." (Gal. 2:5.)
The error of salvation by works is exceedingly plausible. You will constantly hear it stated as a self-evident truth, and vindicated on account of its supposed practical usefulness, while the gospel doctrine of salvation by faith is railed at and accused of evil consequences. It is affirmed that if we preach salvation by good works, we shall encourage virtue; and so it might seem in theory, but history proves by many instances that as a matter of fact where such doctrine has been preached, virtue has become singularly uncommon, and that in proportion as the merit of works has been cried up, morality has gone down.
On the other hand, where justification by faith has been preached, conversions have followed, and purity of life has been produced even in the worst of men. Those who lead godly and gracious lives are ready to confess that the cause for their zeal for holiness lies in their faith in Christ Jesus; but where will you meet with a devout and upright man who glories in his own works?
SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NATURAL
to our fallen humanity. Hence, it is the essence of all false religions. Be they what they may, they all agree in seeking salvation by your own deeds. He who worships his idols will torture his body, will fast, will perform long pilgrimages, and do or endure anything in order to merit salvation.
Go where you may, the natural religion of fallen man is salvation by his own merits. An old preacher has well said, "Every man is born a heretic upon this point, and he naturally gravitates toward this heresy in one form or another. Self-salvation, either by his personal worthiness, or by his repentance, or by his resolves, is a hope ingrained in human nature, and very hard to remove. This foolishness is bound up in the heart of every child, and who shall get it out of him?"
This erroneous idea arises partly from ignorance, for men are ignorant of the law of God, and of what holiness really is. If they knew that even one evil deed is a breach of the law, and that the law once broken in any point is altogether violated, they would be at once convinced that there can be no righteousness by the law to those who have already offended against it.
Nor is it ignorance alone which leads men to self-righteousness: they are also deceived by pride. Man cannot endure to be saved on the footing of mercy; he loves not to plead guilty and throw himself on the favor of the Lord; he cannot brook to be treated as a pauper, and blessed as a matter of charity; he desires to have a finger in his own salvation, and claim at least a little credit for it. Proud man will not have heaven itself upon terms of grace; but so long as he can, he sets up one plea or another, and holds to his own righteousness as though it were his life.
This self-confidence also arises from wicked unbelief, for through his self-conceit man will not believe God. Nothing is more plainly revealed in Scripture than this-that by the works of the law shall no man be justified, yet men in some shape or other stick to the hope of legal righteousness; they will have it that they must prepare for grace, or assist mercy,' or in some degree deserve eternal life. They prefer their own flattering prejudices to the declarations of the heart-searching God. The testimony of the Holy Spirit concerning the deceitfulness of the heart is cast aside, and the declaration of God that there is none that doeth good, no, not one, is altogether denied. Is not this a great evil?
Self-righteousness is also much promoted by the almost universal spirit of trifling which is now abroad. Only while men trifle with themselves can they entertain the idea of personal merit before God. He who comes to serious thought, and begins to understand the character of God, before whom the heavens are not pure, and the angels are charged with folly-he, I say, that comes to serious thought, and beholds a true vision of God, abhors himself in dust and ashes, and is forever silenced as to any thought of self-justification.
I.
TWO GREAT CRIMES
are contained in self-righteousness. It frustrates the grace of God, and makes Christ to have died in vain.
1. The word here translated "frustrate" means to "make void"-needless. Now, he that hopes to be saved by his own righteousness annuls the grace or free favor of God, treats it as useless, and in that way frustrates it.
It is clear, first, that if righteousness come by the law, the grace of God is no longer required. If we can be saved by our own merits, we need justice, but we certainly do not want mercy. If we can keep the law, and claim to be accepted as a matter of debt, it is plain that we need not turn suppliants, and crave for mercy. Grace is a superfluity where merit can be proved.
A man who can go into court with a clear case and bold countenance asks not for mercy of the judge, and the offer of it would insult him. "Give me justice," he says: "give me my rights;" and he stands up for them as a brave man would do. It is only when a man feels that the law condemns him that he puts in a plea for mercy. Nobody ever dreamed of recommending an innocent man to mercy. I say, then, that the man who believes that by keeping the law, or by practicing ceremonies, or by undergoing religious performances, he can make himself acceptable before God, most decidedly puts the grace of God on one side as a superfluous thing as far as he is concerned. Is it not clearly so? And is not this a crimson crime-this frustration of the grace of God?
He makes the grace of God to be at least a secondary thing, which is only a lower degree of the same error. Many think that they are to merit as much as they can by their own exertions, and then the grace of God will make up for the rest. The theory seems to be that we are to keep the law as far as we can, and this imperfect obedience is to stand good, as a sort of composition, say a shilling in the pound, or fifteen shillings in the pound, according as a man judges of his own excellence; and then what is required over and above our own hard-earned money, the grace of God will supply: in short, the plan is, every man his own savior, and Jesus Christ and His grace make-weights for our deficiencies.
Whether men see it or not, this admixture of law and grace is most dishonoring to the salvation of Jesus Christ. It makes the Savior's work to be incomplete, though on the cross He cried, "It is finished." Yea, it even treats it as being utterly ineffectual, since it appears to be of no avail till man's works are added to it. According to this notion, we are redeemed as much by our own doings as by the ransom price of Jesus' blood, and man and Christ go shares, both in the work and in the glory. This is an intense form of arrogant treason against the majesty of divine mercy-a capital crime, which will condemn all who continue in it.
More than that, he who trusts in himself, his feelings, his works, his prayers, or in anything except the grace of God, virtually gives up trusting in the grace of God altogether: for be it known unto you, that God's grace will never share the work with man's merit. As oil will not combine with water, so neither will human merit and heavenly mercy mix together. The apostle saith in Rom. 11:6, "If by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work."
You must either have salvation wholly because you deserve it, or wholly because God graciously bestows it, though you do not deserve it. You must receive salvation at the Lord's hand either as a debt or as a charity; there can be no mingling of the ideas. That which is a pure donation of favor -cannot also be a reward of personal deserving. A combination of the two principles of law and grace is utterly impossible. Trust in our own works in any degree effectually shuts us out from all hope of salvation by grace: and so it frustrates the grace of God.
This hoping to be saved by our own righteousness robs God of His glory. It as good as says, "We want no grace; we need no free favor." It reads of the new covenant which infinite love has made, but by clinging to the old covenant it puts dishonor upon it. In its heart it murmurs, "What need of this covenant of grace? The covenant of works answers every purpose for us." It reads of the great gift of grace in the person of Jesus Christ, and it does despite thereto by the secret thought that human doings are as good as the life and death of the Son of God. It cries, "We will not have this Man to save us."
A self-righteous hope casts a slur upon the glory of God, since it is clear that if a man could be saved by his own works, he would naturally have the honor of it; but if a man be -saved by the free grace of God. then God is glorified. Woe unto those who teach a doctrine which would pluck the crown royal from the head of our sovereign Lord and disgrace the throne of His glory. God help us to be clear of this rank offense against high heaven.
I grow warm upon such a subject as this, for my indignation rises against that which does dishonor to my Lord, and frustrates His grace. This is a sin so gross that even the heathen cannot commit it. They have never heard of the grace of God, and therefore they cannot put a slight upon it: when they perish, it will be with a far lighter doom than those who have been told that God is gracious and ready to pardon, and yet turn on their heel and wickedly boast of innocence, and pretend to be clean in the sight of God. This is a sin which devils cannot commit. With all the obstinacy of their rebellion, they can never reach to this. They have never had the sweet notes of free grace and dying love ringing in their ears, and therefore they have never so used the heavenly invitation. What has never been presented to their acceptance, cannot be the object of their rejection. Thus, then, my hearer, if you should fall into this deep ditch, you will sink lower than the heathen, lower• than Sodom and Gomorrah, and lower than the devil himself. Wake up, I pray you, and do not dare to frustrate the grace of God.
2. The second great crime which self—justification commits is making Christ to have died in vain. This is plain enough. If salvation can be by the works of the law, why did our Lord Jesus die to save us? 0 Thou bleeding Lamb of God! Thine incarnation is a marvel, but Thy death upon the accursed tree is such a miracle of mercy as fills all heaven with astonishment. Will any dare to say that Thy death, 0 Lord, who are also the incarnate God, was a superfluity, a wanton waste of suffering? Do they dare think Thee a generous but unwise enthusiast, whose death was needless? Yes, thousands virtually do this, and, in fact, all do so who make it out that men might have been saved in some other way, or may now be saved by their own willing and doing.
The doctrine of salvation by works is a sin against all the fallen sons of Adam, for if men cannot be saved except by their own works, what hope is left for any transgressor? You shut the gates of mercy on mankind; you condemn the guilty to die without the possibility of remission. You deny all hope of welcome to the returning prodigal, all prospect of paradise to the dying thief.
Nor is this all. It is a sin against the saints, for none of them have any other hope except in the blood of Jesus Christ. Remove the doctrine of the atoning blood, and you have taken all away; our foundation is gone. If you speak thus, you offend the whole generation of godly men.
I go further: work-mongering is a sin against the perfect ones above. The doctrine of salvation by works would silence the halleluiahs of heaven. Hush, ye choristers, what meaning is there in your song? You are chanting, "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood." But why sing ye so? If salvation be by works, your ascriptions of praise are empty flatteries. You ought to sing, "Unto ourselves who kept our garments clean, to us be glory forever and ever:" or, at least, "Unto ourselves whose acts made the Redeemer's work' effectual, be a full share of praise." But a self-lauding note was never heard in heaven, and therefore we feel sure that the doctrine of self-justification is not of God.
I charge you, renounce it as the foe of God and mail. This proud system is a sin of deepest dye against the Well-Beloved. To say that Christ came to earth for nothing is bad enough; but that He became obedient to the death of the cross without result is profanity at its worst.
Ii.
But, in the second place, I proceed to the solemn fact that-
THESE TWO GREAT CRIMES ARE COMMITTED BY MANY PEOPLE
I am afraid they are committed by some who hear me this day. Let every one search himself and see if these accursed things be not hidden in his heart, and if they be, let him cry unto God for deliverance from them.
1. Assuredly these crimes are chargeable on those who trifle with the gospel. Here is the grand proclamation of the Sovereign's grace to fallen man-to sinners,-the most wonderful knowledge that ever was revealed, and yet you do not think it worth a thought!
The death of Christ is nothing to you-a very beautiful fact, no doubt; you know the story well, but you do not care enough about it to wish to be a partaker in its benefits. His blood may have power to cleanse from sin, but you do not want remission; His death may be the life of men, but you do not long to live by Him. To be saved by the atoning blood does not strike you as being half so important as to carry on your business as a profit and acquire a fortune for your family. By thus trifling with these precious things you do, as far as you can, frustrate the grace of God and make Christ to die in vain.
2. Another set of people who do this are those who have no sense of guilt. Perhaps they are naturally amiable, civil, honest, and generous people, and they think that these natural virtues are all that is needed. We have many such in whom there is much, that is lovely, but the one thing needful is lacking. They are not conscious that they ever did anything very wrong, they think themselves certainly as good as others, and in some respects rather better.
You are very bad, because you are so proud as to think yourself righteous, though God hath said that "there is none righteous, no, not one." (Rom. 3:10.) You tell your God that He is a liar. His Word accuses you, and His law condemns you; but you will not believe Him, and actually boast of having a righteousness of your own. This is high presumption and arrogant pride, and may the Lord purge you from it!
3. Another sort of people may fancy that they shall escape; but we must now come home to them. Those who despair will often cry, "I know I cannot be saved except by grace, for I am such a great sinner; but, alas! I am too great a sinner to be saved at all. I am too black for Christ to wash out my sins." Ah, my dear friend, though you know it not, you are making void the grace of God, by denying its power and limiting its might. You doubt the efficacy of the Redeemer's blood, and the power of the Father's grace.
What! The grace of God: is not that able to save? Is not the Father of our Lord Jesus able to forgive sins? We joyfully sing-
"Who is a pardoning God like Thee?
Or who hath grace so rich and free?"
And you say He cannot forgive you, and this in the teeth of His many promises of mercy. 0, say not so: let not thine unbelief give the lie to God.
4. And those, I think, commit this sin in a large measure, who make a mingle-mangle of the gospel. I mean this: when we preach the gospel we have only to say, "Sinners, you are guilty: you can never be anything else but guilty in and of yourselves; if that sin of yours be pardoned, it must be through an act of sovereign grace, and not because of anything in you, or that can be done by you. Grace must be given to you because Jesus died, and for no other reason; and the way by which you can obtain that grace is simply by trusting Christ. By faith in Jesus Christ you shall obtain full forgiveness." This is pure gospel.
If the man turns round and inquires, "How am. I warranted to believe in Christ?" If I tell him that he is warranted to believe in Christ because he feels a law work within, or because he has holy desires, I have made a mess of it: I have put something of the man into the question, and marred the glory of grace. Those who mingle their "ifs" and "buts," and insist upon "you must do this, and feel that, before you may accept Christ," frustrate the grace of God in a measure, and do damage to the glorious gospel of the blessed God.
5. And so, once more, do those also who apostatize. Do I speak to any here who were once professors of religion, who once used to offer prayer in the assembly, who once walked as saints, but now have gone back? You, my friend, say by your course of life, "I had the grace of God, but I do not care about it: it is worth nothing, I have gone back to the world." You do as good as say, "I did once trust in Jesus Christ, but He is not worth trusting."
You have denied, and sold your Lord and Master. I will not now go into the question as to whether you ever were sincere, though I believe you never were, but on your own showing such is your case. Take heed, lest these two terrible crimes should rest upon you, that you do frustrate the grace of God, and make Christ to have died in vain.
Iii.
Now, in closing, I shall carry with me the deep convictions and the joyful confidences of all true believers. It is this, that-
EVERY TRUE BELIEVER’S TRUST IS IN JESUS ALONE
Come, now, honest hearts, I speak to you. Do you trust in grace alone, or do you in some measure rest in yourselves? Do you even in a small degree depend upon your own feelings, your own faithfulness, your own repentance? I know you abhor the very thought. You have not even the shadow of a hope, nor the semblance of a confidence, in anything you ever were, or ever can be, or ever hope to be. You fling this away as a foul rag which you would hurl out of the universe if you could.
I do avow that though I have preached the gospel with all my heart, and glory in it, yet I cast my preaching away as dross if I think of it as a ground of reliance: and though I have brought many souls to Christ, blessed be His name, I never dare for one moment put the slightest confidence in that fact as to my own salvation. I repose alone in my Redeemer.
What I say of myself I know that each one of you will say for himself. Your alms-giving, your prayers, your tears, your suffering persecution, your earnest work in the Sunday-school or elsewhere-do you ever think of putting these side by side with the blood of Christ as your hope? No, you never dream of it; I am sure you never do, and the mention of it is utterly loathsome, to you: is it not? Grace, grace, grace is your sole hope.
Moreover, you have not only renounced all confidence in works, but you renounce it this day more heartily than ever you did. The older you are, and the more holy you become, the less do you think of trusting in yourself. I know there are some who never felt themselves to be sinners, who shift about as if they were sitting on thorns when I am preaching grace, and nothing but grace; but it is not so with you who are resting in Christ. "0, no," you say, "ring that bell again, sir!" Ring that bell again; there is no music like it. Touch that string again; it is our favorite note."
The true believer trusts in the death of Christ; he puts his sole and entire reliance upon the great Substitute who loved and lived and died for him. He does not dare to associate with the bleeding sacrifice, his poor bleeding heart, or his prayers, or his sanctification, or anything else. "None but Christ, none but Christ," is his soul's cry.
He detests every proposal to mix anything of ceremony or of legal action with the finished work of Jesus Christ. The longer we live, I trust, dear brethren, the more we see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We are struck with admiration at the wisdom of the way by which a Substitute was introduced-that God might smite sin and yet spare the sinner; we are lost in admiration at the matchless love of God, that He spared not His own Son; we are filled with reverent adoration at the love of Christ, that when He knew the price of pardon was His blood, His pity never withdrew.
We are one with Him, and, being one with Him, we realize more every day that He did not die in vain. His death has bought us real life: His death has already set us free from the bondage of sin, and has even now brought us deliverance from the fear of eternal wrath. His death has bought us life eternal, has bought us sonship, and all the blessings that go with it, which the Father takes care to bestow; the death of Christ has shut the gates of hell for us, and opened the gates of heaven; the death of Christ has wrought for us mercies, not visionary or imaginary, but real and true, which this very day we do enjoy, and so we are in no danger of thinking that Christ died in vain.
It is our joy to hold these
TWO GREAT PRINCIPLES
which I will leave with you, hoping that you will suck marrow and fatness out. of them, that the grace of God cannot be frustrated, and Jesus Christ died not in vain. These two principles, I think, lie at the bottom of all sound doctrine. The grace of God cannot be frustrated after alt. Its eternal purpose will be fulfilled, its sacrifice and seal shall be effectual: the chosen ones of grace shall be brought to glory. There shall be no failures as to God's plan in any point whatever: at the last, when all shall be summed up, it shall be seen that grace reigned through righteousness unto eternal life, and the top stone shall be brought out with shoutings of "Grace, grace unto it."
And as grace cannot be frustrated, so Christ did not die in vain. Some seem to think that there were purposes in Christ's heart which will never be accomplished. We have not so learned Christ. What He died to do shall be done; His own He will have; those He redeemed shall be free; there shall be no failure of reward for Christ's wondrous work: "He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied."
On these two principles I throw back my soul to rest. Believing in His grace, that grace shall never fail me. "My grace is sufficient for thee," saith the Lord, and, so shall it be. Believing in Jesus Christ, His death must save me. It cannot be, O Calvary, that thou shouldst fail! O Gethsemane, that thy bloody sweat should be in vain! Through divine grace, resting in our Savior's precious blood, we must be saved. Joy and rejoice with me, and go your way to tell it out to others. God bless you in so doing for Jesus' sake. Amen.