Faith and works

Faith and works concerns how believing in Christ relates to good deeds in salvation. Christian traditions differ: Protestants hold that justification is by faith alone, with good works as its fruit, while Catholic and Orthodox traditions hold that faith working through love and cooperating with grace belongs to justification, and the passages each side relies on are listed below.

Saved by grace through faith

• Ephesians 2:8-9
  ⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast.not by works, so that no one can boast.
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• Romans 3:28
  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
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• Galatians 2:16
  Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
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• Titus 3:5
  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
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• Romans 4:4-5
  ⁴Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. ⁵But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.
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Faith without works is dead

• James 2:14-17
  ¹⁴What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? ¹⁷Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
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• James 2:21-24
  ²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²²Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. ²³And 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.And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. ²⁴Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
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• James 2:26
  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
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Created for good works

• Ephesians 2:10
  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
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• Titus 2:14
  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
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• Titus 3:8
  This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.This saying is trustworthy. And I want you to emphasize these things, so that those who have believed God will take care to devote themselves to good deeds. These things are excellent and profitable for the people.
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• Matthew 5:16
  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
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Faith working by love

• Galatians 5:6
  For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
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• 1 Thessalonians 1:3
  Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
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• Philippians 2:12-13
  ¹²Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
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Judged according to works

• Matthew 16:27
  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
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• Romans 2:6-7
  ⁶Who will render to every man according to his deeds:God “will repay each one according to his deeds.” ⁷To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.
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• 2 Corinthians 5:10
  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
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• Revelation 20:12
  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.
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See also

• Faith
• Justification
• Grace
• Salvation
• Righteousness

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.