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Gospel Booklet, 11.5-Point Type
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About This Product
One of Spurgeon's best-known and most effective messages. Original title: "Salvation by Works, a Criminal Doctrine."
Excerpt: THE IDEA of salvation by the merit of our own works is exceedingly insinuating. It matters not how often it is refuted, it asserts itself again
and again; and when it gains the least foothold, it soon makes great advances. Hence Paul, who was determined to show it no quarter, opposed everything which bore its likeness. He was determined not to permit the thin edge of the wedge to be introduced into the Church, for well he knew that willing hands would soon be driving it home; hence, when Peter sided with the Judaizing party, and seemed to favor those who demanded that the Gentiles should be circumcised, our brave apostle withstood him to the face.
He fought always for salvation by grace through faith, and contended strenuously against all thought of righteousness by obedience to the precepts of the ceremonial law. No one could be more explicit than he upon the doctrine that we are not justified or saved by works in any degree, but solely by the grace of God. His trumpet gave forth no uncertain sound, but gave forth the clear note, "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Eph. 2:8,9.) Grace meant grace with him, and he could not endure any tampering with the matter, or any frittering away of its meaning.
So fascinating is the doctrine of legal righteousness that the only way to deal with it is Paul's way. Never yield to it; but remember the apostle's firmness, and how stoutly he held his ground: "To whom," saith he, "we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour." (Gal. 2:5.)
The error of salvation by works is exceedingly plausible. You will constantly hear it stated as a self-evident truth, and vindicated on account of its supposed practical usefulness, while the gospel doctrine of salvation by faith is railed at and accused of evil consequences. It is affirmed that if we preach salvation by good works, we shall encourage virtue; and so it might seem in theory, but history proves by many instances that as a matter of fact where such doctrine has been preached, virtue has become singularly uncommon, and that in proportion as the merit of works has been cried up, morality has gone down.
On the other hand, where justification by faith has been preached, conversions have followed, and purity of life has been produced even in the worst of men. Those who lead godly and gracious lives are ready to confess that the cause for their zeal for holiness lies in their faith in Christ Jesus; but where will you meet with a devout and upright man who glories in his own works?
SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NATURAL
to our fallen humanity. Hence, it is the essence of all false religions. Be they what they may, they all agree in seeking salvation by your own deeds. He who worships his idols will torture his body, will fast, will perform long pilgrimages, and do or endure anything in order to merit salvation.