Does one attain salvation by simply praying a prayer, or do you additionally need good works?

Question

If it requires good works, how do you explain verses such as Romans 10:9

"that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved"

and John 6:40?

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life;; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

Then again, it definitely seems to suggest that you need good works. Look at verses such as:

James 2:17+24

(17) - "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."
(24) - "You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone."

Revelation 22:12

"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done."

Please go into as much detail as possible explaining your views. I'm really confused on the matter, and would like to know what others think about it. Thanks, and God bless!

Answer 1

Bro, This is a very important topic and I am glad that you have asked the question. I know you say you need help, but I feel you really already know the answer in your heart.

The answer to your question is in the scriptures you mentioned. Yes, we do have to do more than pray for salvation. Why, because there is a regeneration process. As stated in the following scriptures.
Romans 8:29
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

James 1:17-27
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

As you can see, we do have a growth process and we will grow as we fall in love with the Lord. Nobody falls in love over night, but when we asked Jesus to be our Lord and Savior and for his forgivness and mercy, God answered us patiently with his Grace. (One of God's many attributes as Love, Mercy, Peace and Time etc., brought together) Jesus paid the full price for our sins but by faith and love in return for him, we perform righteous acts and spread the Gospel of His Salvation through our Testimony (our very lives,) as well as proclaim the Truth in Love from the rooftops. Amen.

We also know that preaching and Teaching the Gospel is not for us to do but for the Holy Spirit to do through us at his leisure. You may have heard this statement before, "God does'nt need your ability but your availability." But, I say, "God doesn't need either, but, he wants you to Love/Live for him and allow his work to be done in you and through you when "He asks" you to love your neighbor. When God asks you to give a sum of money to the poor, then do it. When he tells you to stop and render aid, then do it. When you love others and care for them you are doing it to the Lord. After all, He died for us all as noone deserves his Salvation, ever! No matter how much work we think we have done for the Kingdom of God we cannot do enough to earn what Jesus paid on the cross for us all.

I hope this helps anone who may be struggling with their faith in what Jesus did on the cross for us all. Jesus said on the cross, it is accomplished/finished. Jesus has accomplished the good work he has begun in you, if you indeed belong to him and are earnestly seeking and loving our Lord Jesus Christ and anyone he places in your life to Love. After all, "Love, (Our Life)" is the best gift we can give back. Amen.

James 2:23
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

John 15:13-15
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

So you see my friends in Christ, we know that our faith will produce fruit at the proper time. Be patient, Our Friend is.

In Christ,
Alight4JC

Answer 2

We cannot earn our way to heaven ,only by the blood of Jesus. Isaiah 64:6 " But we are all as an unclean thing ,and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind , have taken us away". Once one becomes saved we must do the will of God. Witness , tithe ,support missions, be a pastor and help others ( benevolence ) in the name of Jesus.Romans 12:2 " And be not conformed to this world : but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good,and acceptable, and perfect, will of God ". This is how we will earn our rewards in heaven , the more you do for God the more rewards you will earn.

Answer 3

The problem some people have is that they "expect" to gain something from prayer when they have not entered a true relationship with Jesus. He has answered prayer for me, and I know He has done so for others. Some people go to great lengths criticizing and mocking the Lord when they didn't get what they want. It's like they think of God as a "genie" to fix things, instead of the Lord of their life. It's often not their fault because they have been taught the wrong way. Prayer is for God's own people, those who have His Spirit in them. It's explained very well in scripture, but you first need a genuine desire to get your relationship right with God ... then the blessings follow.

Answer 4

good works are a result of your faith in Jesus Christ. the Bible says you will know a believer by their fruit, or works. Read Ephesians 2:8-9. If there was any work we could do to get to heaven, then Jesus' death was worthless. A true believer of God will be a servant of God, and servants do the work of the Master.

Answer 5

Jesus said," “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15

not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5

Here is a pasage that really helped me to understand:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.Ephesians 2:8-10

Do you see brother? We are saved by faith. We are saved by faith alone. Works are just one of the outwardly signs that a person is really saved.

Just like Baptism is an outwardly sign. Baptism from a pastor, in water, is just a symbol of what happens inside. The only baptism that saves is the baptism of The Holy Spirit.

If a person truly wants to know if they are a Christian then they have to: Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 2 Corinthians 13:5

The test to see if you are a true Christian is in 1 John. Read the ehtire chapter and examine yourself. Do you truely love like a Christian should?

We can only do good works because of a new heart and spirit that God gave us when we were born again.

Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them,[a] and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:19-20

I hope this helps you. If you have any questions or would like me to pray for you please email me.

May God guide you with his Holy Spirit as you seek Him.

Answer 6

Salvation is:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

Not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9.

Answer 7

Salvation is monergistic, a total work of God, He does it all, we do nothing. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Paul makes it quite clear that salvation is a total work of God:

Rom 8:28 But we know that to the ones loving God all things work together for good, to those being called according to purpose;
Rom 8:29 because whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers.
Rom 8:30 But whom He predestinated, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
Eph 2:5 even we being dead in deviations, He made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are being saved),
Eph 2:6 and raised us up together and seated us together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,
Eph 2:7 that He might demonstrate in the ages coming on, the exceeding great riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

As you see, we did nothing, nor do anything, it is all of God.

Concerning the verses you sighted:

The John 6 passage speaks of our future salvation, that is, our going to Heaven. No one can confess Christ who is not already redeemed.

The James passages have stirred controversy, but they do not teach works salvation. Keep in mind, James was writing to Jewish believers, not Gentiles. Works are an outgrowth of our salvation, the fruit so to speak. Without fruit, our faith is lifeless, but still existent. We are justified before God by Christ's resurrection, not by anything we do. It is God who justifies us, not ourselves.

Rom 8:33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect? God is the One justifying!

A portion of a commentary may help explain this better:

(1) Jas 2:24 - Ye see then how that by works a man is justified,.... Not as causes procuring his justification, but as effects declaring it; for the best works are imperfect, and cannot be a righteousness justifying in the sight of God, and are unprofitable in this respect; for when they are performed in the best manner, they are no other than what it is a man's duty to perform, and therefore cannot justify from sin he has committed: and besides, justification in this sense would frustrate the grace of God, make void the death of Christ, and encourage boasting in men. Good works do not go before justification as causes or conditions, but follow it as fruits and effects:

and not by faith only: or as without works, or a mere historical faith, which being without works is dead, of which the apostle is speaking; and therefore can bear no testimony to a man's justification; hence it appears, that the Apostle James does not contradict the Apostle Paul in Rom_3:28 since they speak not of the same sort of faith; the one speaks of a mere profession of faith, a dead and lifeless one; the other of a true faith, which has Christ, and his righteousness, for its object, and works by love, and produces peace, joy, and comfort in the soul.

Concerning the Revelation passage, "reward" means payment, this payment will be to the unbelievers, the "payment " for their sins. This is at the second coming. I believe the Church is not on the earth at this time and comes with Him, so it would not be for the believers.

Answer 8

Indeed, you must confess with your lips that Jesus Christ is Savior and that you believe on Him for your salvation. Even so, the gift of grace is given by the Holy Spirit and this same spirit must also lead you into repentance.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words." (Romans 8:26)

Anybody can just say a prayer, but the important part is the state of the heart:

"For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved." (Romans 10:10)

But, inviting the Lord Jesus into your heart and into your life to help you in your walk as a born-again Christian is just the first step. Now, you must embark on your own journey. This involves three essential practices; the first naturally would be continued prayer, for this is our access to and communion with God for He is listening to you. The next would be studying the Word as it is revealed in the Bible. And finally, to do the will of God; that is to fulfill your destiny as a Christian. Each of us has a designed purpose set out by our Creator, and He gives us gifts and talents through which we can reach and help others. You should not rely on works as your justification for faith in Christ Jesus and His grace are sufficient; but, you shall know a true Christian by his or her works, not by their mere words. Good fruit comes from a good tree and bad fruit from the bad. Good treasure comes out of the heart of a righteous man but bad from the evil heart. Once you have accepted Christ as your Savior, the Spirit leads you into performing the good works and producing the good fruit, but these in themselves are not to be done as though you were proving you were better than another Christian.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God--not because of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

"Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On the principle of works? No, but on the principle of faith. For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law." (Romans 3:27-28)

"But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14)

Answer 9

To become a member of the spiritual Body of Christ, a person, Catholic or non-Catholic, is required:

(A) to repent of his sins,

(B) to have faith in the Lord Jesus, and

(C) to receive the Sacrament of Baptism.

Answer 10

good works are the result of salvation because of the love of God that comes into your heart and you will care about others

Answer 11

You need faith and good works. Without the other you are lost.