TEACHING

One of the most far-reaching and fatal lies of Satan is the fallacious teaching that man can merit eternal life by doing good works. Satan knows that the only way God saves sinners is by grace alone (Eph. 2:5). He also knows when anything is added to God's grace, such as good works, human effort, law-keeping or religious rituals, it nullifies saving grace (Rom. 11:6; Gal. 2:21). In fact, when anyone adds anything to God's justifying grace, they remain dead in their sins. The only way a helpless, hopeless, and deserving sinner can be saved is by God's unmerited, undeserved grace and mercy (Titus 3:5). They must come to the cross of Christ with empty hands of faith, bringing nothing but their sins. This is the only way they can experience the greatest exchange in human history - their sin for Christ's righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21).

Wrong Timing with The Wrong Motivation for Good Works

The timing and motivation for good works is of utmost importance.

Scripture declares that any righteous deeds done prior to justification are filthy rags in the sight of our Holy God (Isa. 64:6). Therefore, if someone's motivation for doing good works is to become right with God, they cannot be justified. Anyone who seeks to establish their own righteousness by good works is ignorant of God's righteousness (Rom. 10:1-4). Yet, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that good works are necessary for justification and condemns anyone who says they are justified by faith alone (Council of Trent ).