We’re No Help

We’re No Help

Comments on Galatians with an ear to Luther’s commentary

Scripture Text: Galatians 3:10 and Romans 14:22–23

Series: Comments on Galatians

Today's Scripture Jigsaw

We cannot work our way to salvation, as though we earned some merit with God by the performance of good deeds, or somehow came to just enough perfection or holiness for God to accept us. First of all, this denies Christ and need of him. It paints the Father a fool for sending his Son to die for us. “Works” is a system that makes humans their own saviors. 

Some would say that we are saved by faith and works, that we must do good works in order to keep our salvation. This theory insists that God’s Son is not a good enough Savior, that he needs our help. But we can offer no help since everything we do that does not originate from faith is sin. Sinful works are not saving works. Indeed, there is no saving work but that which was accomplished by Christ on the cross. Therefore, we are, as Scripture asserts, saved through God’s grace through faith, and not by works of the law (Ephesians 2:8–9). The works that we do come afterward, and are generated by the Holy Spirit. We are regenerated or born again in order to do these works and give God glory. Works do not save us but instead, demonstrate that we are saved, that the Spirit of God is at work within us. If he is not, then any works we do are sin. 

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