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John 6:28-29 – “Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus
answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’”

What about the passages that seem to say we must obey to be saved? Consider the following passages
and a brief response:

Matthew 7:15-27 -
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16
You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17
So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot
bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut
down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. 21 “Not everyone who
says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father
who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and
cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to
them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Does this passage teach works are necessary to be saved? No! It has nothing to do with the average
person’s eternal salvation. Jesus was telling the disciples how to identify a false prophet, not a false
professor of faith. It is a category error to use it in any other context.

Romans 2:6-10 –
6 “He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for
glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking[a] and do
not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation
and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and
honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.”

To quote this verse to prove works salvation is to rip it from its context. In Romans 2 Paul is talking
about the state of unregenerate man. He is saying that they are without excuse and are all guilty. That
those who disobey God will be discipline. In chapter three he shows how none are exempt from this. He
then in chapter 4-5 shows how salvation is obtained by faith in Christ’s finished work. As we saw above,
Paul shows that faith was counted as righteousness to the one who did not work but believed. To use
this verse is to display an ignorance of the development of Romans. To say a man who is unsaved will be
judged by his deeds is not to say that he could have earned salvation though them.

Hebrews 2:1-3a, 4:1-3, 6:4-6, and 10:39 –
Background:
The Jewish believers are being pressured to return to Judaism. It is likely that Hebrews predates the fall
of Jerusalem as it is not mentioned in the book. Yet a catastrophe seems pending. The writer urges them
not to go back but to look to a new city (Heb. 11:10; 11:16; 12:22; 13:14). If they return to Jerusalem
and Judaism they will perish with the Jews. If they die with them, they will not enter the rest God is
leading them to. They should be like the heroes of the faith and continue in faith as God brings them to
the New Jerusalem. These passages are practical warnings about how to see the New Jerusalem they
thought was about to come at any moment. Jesus was superior. So do not go back. As for Hebrews 6. It
never mentions salvation. It tells believers (Heb. 6:1) to press on to maturity. It says that if a believer
walks away and hardens their heart they will not be renewed to “repentance.” Notice that a lack of

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