Can One Buy or Earn Salvation?

The answer to the above question is “ABSOLUTELY NOT.” But let’s examine a commonly quoted but misunderstood text. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9). First, one is saved by grace, but it is through faith and thus not by grace alone. Second, we cannot save ourselves. Third, the “gift” (life eternal) is from God. Fourth, this gift is not something we can earn by WORKS, for if that were true one could boast of his salvation.

Observation: Salvation is by grace and through faith, thus it is not by grace alone or by faith alone. This means that to obtain grace, one must have faith. But are we talking about “mental assent,” or does faith involve doing something? Before I can deal fully with that question let’s establish something relevant that must be believed and considered before making up our mind as to what is involved in the terminology “by faith.”

First, Jesus said, “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. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt. 7:21-23). Jesus tells us that some who pray and even do wonderful works “never knew” Him.

Second, the Hebrew writer said, “He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb. 5:9b). Thus, people who are saved (from the beginning till now) are those who DO what God requires.

Perhaps you have been taught something different all your life and it is difficult for you to see that man does have a part in being saved. Well, maybe the following illustration will help you to see that a gift can be “free” even though conditions are placed on receiving that gift:

A jobless man approaches a farmer and asks him for a chainsaw so he can cut wood to sell to support his family. The farmer replies, “I have an old Homelite over there in the back of the truck that you can have, but it is covered up with wood and you will have to go over, dig it out, and lift it out of the pickup bed.”

Now, who could reason that the man left that farm, with the saw, feeling that he “earned” it rather than that the farmer had compassion on him and gave it to him? This illustration shows that Paul was not teaching that one is saved by “faith only” or “grace only,” without any action on our part. Therefore, if you have not yet done so, your next move should be to find out just what God’s conditions are for being saved.