Faith and Works: Balancing Justification and Evidence in the Christian Life

Growing up in the Mormon church, I was taught… well, a lot of really interesting things to say the least. As I began to search the scriptures to find out if what I had been taught was true, I was shocked to find out that the majority of what I thought I knew was not Biblical. One such topic, and easily the most fundamental and key doctrines of scripture, is that of salvation.

Without delving too deeply into the Mormon doctrine of salvation, here’s the basic idea: Mormons believe that human beings are saved both through the grace of God and through their own actions. The atonement of Jesus Christ has done part of the work of salvation in that all human beings are guaranteed resurrection. Still, human beings also have work to do to attain the entire quality of eternal life, which includes one day become a God yourself. In that sense, it’s not only about salvation, but exaltation. (We may revisit that topic directly in the future.)

There is so much more to Mormon doctrine than that even in terms of salvation, but for those who are familiar with and understand the Biblical view of salvation, you can already see the problems that I never understood growing up.

One of the major turning points in my faith journey was understanding the doctrines of salvation, justification, faith, and works and how all these things tie together (if they do at all). As we think about this topic today, I’ve done my best to keep this article as brief as possible, but we also must understand that this a core doctrine that we cannot afford to get wrong due to the eternal implications of the topic.

For any God-seeking person, this is one of the most profound questions people grapple with – how can we be justified before God? The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, provides a cornerstone for this understanding: “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9). This passage clearly states that our justification before God is by faith, not our works. However, the role of works in the life of a believer remains crucial, not as a means to earn salvation but as evidence of genuine faith.

Justified by Faith

The concept of justification by faith is a central tenet of Christian doctrine. Justification is a legal term referring to being declared righteous before God. According to Paul, this righteousness is imputed to us through faith in Jesus Christ. We cannot earn it through our deeds; it is a gift from God.

Paul reinforces this in Romans 3:28, stating, “For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” The law highlights our sins and our inability to attain God’s standard on our own. Faith in Jesus Christ, His death, and His resurrection is the only way to be justified. This faith is trusting in the finished work of Christ, acknowledging that He paid the penalty for our sins and that His righteousness is credited to us.

We have no righteousness of our own to offer. Anything we have to give is filthy rags before a Holy God. The only justification we can have is through faith in Jesus Christ, and putting on His righteousness to cover our unrighteousness.

The Necessity of Baptism by Immersion

A long-debated aspect of salvation is certainly that of baptism. For centuries, Christians have held various views on the mode of baptism, the necessity of baptism, and who actually does the work of cleansing in a believer’s baptism. We won’t get into a word study on the origins of the word “baptism” today and how it relates to the mode of baptism, but let’s at least spend some time thinking about the necessity and the role of baptism in the process of sanctification.

Scripture bears out time and time again that baptism by immersion is an essential aspect of the salvation process. It is not as a work that earns salvation but it is a response to faith and an appeal to God for a clean conscience, it is for the remission of sins, it is the means of participating in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and it is the key to identifying with Christ.

In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus commands His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Baptism is closely linked with belief by Jesus Himself, emphasizing its importance in the salvation journey.

Peter further elaborates on this in Acts 2:38 when he addresses the crowd on the day of Pentecost: “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Baptism is portrayed as obedience following repentance, symbolizing the washing away of sins and the reception of the Holy Spirit. It is the event that marks the believer’s identification with Christ.

The Book of Acts goes on to provide numerous examples of baptism by immersion, underscoring its necessity. One of the most profound accounts for me was the Ethiopian official’s baptism in Acts 8:36-38. As Philip taught the Ethiopian about the good news about Jesus through the prophet Isaiah, they came upon some water, and the Ethiopian said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” Philip replied, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The official confessed his belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. This account demonstrates the immediate response of faith through baptism.

Other examples include the baptism of the Samaritans who believed Philip’s preaching in Acts 8:12, the household of Cornelius in Acts 10:47-48, and the Philippian jailer and his household in Acts 16:33. Each instance highlights the importance of baptism following a declaration of faith, signifying a believer’s full acceptance into the body of Christ.

Peter parallels baptism and Noah’s salvation through water in 1 Peter 3:18-22. He writes, “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Baptism is not about physical cleansing but a pledge of a good conscience toward God, facilitated by the resurrection of Jesus. It is a vital step in the believer’s faith journey, symbolizing their new life in Christ.

Paul also writes to the Galatians that, while Abraham was justified by faith, “the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). You and I are not Jesus Christ, so that presents a bit of a dilemma for us. How are we supposed to be justified before God if the promises were only to Abraham and his seen, who is Christ?

Paul goes on to explain that “those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ,” adding that those who are in Christ are “Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:27-29). We see how vital baptism is then, as it is the “thing” that clothes us with Christ and allows us to identify with Him.

I also would like to steal some thoughts for this section from a man I greatly respect, brother Stacy Brewington. Here are some thoughts he shared recently on another post:

In the book of Ephesians, especially chapters 2 and 3, Paul presents a continuation of the thoughts he shared with the Galatians: a new covenant. This covenant includes baptism.

The “mystery” as defined in Ephesians 3:4-6 is that the Gentiles now have access to righteousness and are fellow heirs to the body of Christ defined as the church in Ephesians 1:22. “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9) confirms that here Paul is referring to the “works” required by the law of Moses as described in Galatians and not the good works we were created for in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). Our salvation is NOT dependent on keeping the works of the law of Moses.

He touches on this also in the letter to the church at Colosse in 2:11-12 as being “circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, buried with him in baptism, in which you also were raised with him through faith in the working of God…” 

I’ve never seen a dead man bury himself, and Paul here says the subject of baptism doesn’t raise himself but is raised by someone else, and it is through faith. Imagine if your name was recorded in Hebrews 11: “By faith, Michael was joined IN Christ through baptism and added to the church.” Or even better, this statement is proclaimed on That Day. This is our version of Solomon’s Ecclesiastes 12:13.

So, in Christian baptism, who does the work? GOD DID!”

The Expectation of Works

While scripture is clear that justification is by faith and baptism is essential in the process of sanctification, the New Testament also clarifies that true faith will naturally produce good works. These works are not the basis of our salvation but the evidence of it. In his epistle, James emphasizes this connection: “But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.” (James 2:18, CSB).

James does not contradict Paul but rather complements him by highlighting that genuine faith results in a transformed life. When we truly believe in Jesus and surrender to Him, the Holy Spirit begins to work in us, producing fruit that aligns with God’s will. These works are acts of obedience and love that stem from our new nature in Christ.

This also aligns beautifully with Jesus’ teaching in John 15 that those who abide in Him as the true vine and the words He has spoken, that “My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.” We prove that we are truly disciples and followers of Christ by the fruit we produce!

Refuting the View of “Saved by Grace Through Faith, After All You Can Do”

Since I brought it up initially, I need to explain how the teaching I grew up with vastly differs from what the Bible teaches.

The phrase “saved by grace through faith, after all you can do” is a well-known concept in Mormon theology, primarily derived from the Book of Mormon, specifically 2 Nephi 25:23. This teaching suggests that grace is only fully accessible after an individual has exerted all their efforts in obedience and good works. While this view acknowledges the necessity of grace, it implies that human effort is a prerequisite for receiving God’s grace, which contrasts sharply with the biblical doctrine of salvation by grace.

However, while my personal lens of “salvation” was skewed by Mormon doctrine because of my upbringing, I do think this is something that many Christians struggle with as well. Many individuals would agree that Christ died to pay the debt for our sins, and that through placing our faith in Him we can be saved. However, many of those same individuals feel that there’s “something else” we have to do in order to maintain our salvation.

As we already saw, Paul articulated in Ephesians 2:8-9 the biblical perspective which states unequivocally, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” This passage makes it clear that salvation is entirely a gift from God, not contingent upon human effort. While good works are a natural outcome of a genuine faith, they are not a condition for receiving grace. The idea that one must do “all they can do” before grace applies undermines the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice and the completeness of His atonement.

Additionally, the apostle Paul addresses this issue in his letter to the Galatians, where he warns against any addition to the Gospel of grace. In Galatians 2:21, Paul states, “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” If human effort could contribute to our salvation, Christ’s death would be unnecessary. The doctrine of grace asserts that Christ’s work on the cross is sufficient and complete, and our faith in Him is what justifies us before God. This underscores the total dependency on God’s grace, not a grace that fills in the gaps after human effort, but a grace that entirely saves and transforms.

Understanding the Balance

To understand the balance between faith and works, it is helpful to consider Ephesians 2 again, particularly verse 10, which follows Paul’s declaration about salvation by grace through faith: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Here, Paul clarifies that while our salvation is not by works, we are saved for works. These good works are the outworking of our salvation and a testament to the Gospel’s transformative power.

A tree and its fruit can illustrate the relationship between faith and works. Faith is the root that anchors us in Christ and draws life from Him. Good works are the fruit that naturally grows from this healthy root. Just as a tree is known by its fruit, our works show our faith.

As Christians, the works we do are not to maintain our salvation or done in order to achieve some higher tier of heaven (that doesn’t exist, mind you; more on that another time). Instead, those who are in Christ are new creations, with the purpose of carrying out good works for the glory of the Father and the advancement of His Kingdom. The works our lives produce are the evidence of the change that has been made in our hearts.

Living Out Our Faith

As Christians, we are called to live out our faith through acts of love, service, and obedience to God’s commands. These works are not a means to earn God’s favor but a response to the grace we have received. They demonstrate the authenticity of our faith and glorify God.

Jesus Himself taught about the importance of good works in the Sermon on the Mount: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). Our good works testify to the world of God’s transformative power in our lives.

Justification before God is by faith, and it is a gift of grace that cannot be earned by works. However, genuine faith will invariably result in good works, which serve as evidence of our salvation and a means to glorify God. Baptism by immersion, though not a work that earns salvation, is necessary in the faith journey for the remission of sins, and symbolizes the believer’s identification with Christ and the following transformation. As believers, we are called to embrace this balance, resting in the finished work of Christ for our justification and actively living out our faith through good works that reflect His love and truth to the world.

Therefore, let us hold firmly to our faith in Jesus Christ, allowing it to transform our lives and produce good works that honor God and testify to His amazing grace.