Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). Faith without actions is dead (James 2:26)

All believers in Jesus Christ must have a clear understanding and conviction about how we are saved and what is the function of good deeds (works, fruits of Spirit) in our Christian lives. A number of supporting verses will be given at the end of this article. We are saved by our unconditional and simple faith in Jesus Christ who paid a price for the forgiveness of our sins. The sacrifice on Calvary was planned and prepared before the world was created (1 Peter 1:20-21). Through many prophets, Patriarchs, and saints of the old Testaments, hundreds of prophesies were made about the coming of the Messiah and His Sacrificial death for the remission of sins of every man.

During His ministry Jesus preached about salvation and invitation to Kingdom of God by believing in Him and His work, and three times He forgave sins (Luke 7:48-49, Mathew 9:2, Luke 23:43), and the Jewish authorities were surprised, agitated, and questioned His authority to forgive sins because they believed that only God could do that. They never realized that the man from Nazareth is God-incarnated and His ability to forgive sins! Christ sent His disciples and evangelists to proclaim the good news about the Kingdom of God, repentence and salvation. In short when we believe in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice followed by repentance, we are saved and it is a free gift to all believers.

Good deeds (good works) do not give us salvation. We are all created in God’s image to do only good works. What is there to boast and be proud of good works when we are expected to do only good work? Every man is a sinner and lost His grace! (Romans 3:9-24) We are saved to do good works, which are the fruits of salvation. A saved man is living in a world where there are three enemies, Satan, the world and the flesh. We are bound to make mistakes though we are forgiven. Believers must repent when they commit sins. God has not taken away our free will to do or not to do sins. But Christians are given the free gift of Holy Spirit to abide within us and help us to fight against our enemies and to lead fruit-producing lives. Let us not forget that the branches of the divine Vine of Christ that will not produce any fruits will be cut off and those who produce will be pruned from time to time!

Let me conclude here that we do not get salvation by good deeds. We are saved to produce for good works. In other religions people do good works to get salvation. But in Christianity we are saved by faith in Christ and called to do good deeds always to glorify our blessed Trinity of God, We are saved by God’s grace and mercy and we receive it through the path and process of faith in our Savior. Jesus Christ. Amen

Some general references: In addition to all gospels, read Romans for Paul’s complete doctrine of salvation, Acts 16:31, Mathew 9:2, Luck 7:48-49, Luke 23:43, Acts: 2:38, Acts: 4:12, Romans 1:17,John 3: 3-8, John Chapter 4, Chapter 6, John 14:6, Epistle of James.