Question 33 - Should those who have faith in Christ seek their salvation through their own works, or anywhere else?

Answer 33 - No, they should not, as everything necessary to salvation is found in Christ. To seek salvation through good works is a denial that Christ is the only Redeemer and Savior.

To seek salvation, even in the least bit, through our own works is to be heading toward disaster. I think it was J Gresham Machen who said “Christ will do everything or nothing. If you could be saved by works, even in the least bit, then Christ’s death was in vain.” 

Paul has such strong language in the book of Galatians. In chapter 1, Paul lambasts false teachers saying that if they were teaching anything contrary to his gospel message, they were to be eternally condemned. And then he repeats it for good measure and to amplify the seriousness. What were they teaching? Works righteousness. They were teaching that you had to believe in Christ AND keep the law of Moses to be saved. Specifically, they were teaching that one had to add circumcision to their faith in order to be saved. The point is not that you cannot get circumcised. The point is, if you think circumcision makes you acceptable to God, makes you right with God, embellishes your salvation in the least bit, then you nullify the cross of Christ, and you better be a perfect lawkeeper. 

Your works add NOTHING to the work of Christ to save sinners. Again, he will do everything or nothing. 

Now some have veered into the ditch by concluding that obedience must not matter. If we contribute zero works to our salvation, maybe good works don’t matter. Wrong! Obedience is important. Obedience is required. NOT as the root of our salvation. That is Christ and Christ alone. Obedience is necessary as the fruit of salvation. It is not, it cannot be necessary as the root of our salvation. Christ alone is the root of our salvation. One of my favorite hymns is My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less written by Edward Mote. The first verse sums up pretty well this point and it would be worth memorizing and repeating this sweet truth:

My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. 

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. 

The blood and righteousness of Jesus is our only hope. J. Gresham Machen (I mentioned him earlier) wrote a final telegram to a friend shortly before he died and said this: “I am so thankful for the active obedience of Christ. No hope without it.” The blood of Christ poured out for us. The righteousness of Jesus, counted as ours. That’s a sure foundation for our hope. 

Galatians 2:16 - Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.