How is salvation not about work when faith is required? Isn't faith a work?

TL;DR:

Salvation is not earned by works because faith itself is God’s gift—our believing is simply a response to His grace. We do not work for salvation but trust in God’s work on our behalf.

Salvation is never earned by our work or effort because faith itself is God’s gracious gift. From the beginning, the Bible shows that righteousness comes through trusting God’s promises, not performing deeds, as seen in Abraham’s belief being counted as righteousness. The Law was given not to save but to reveal God’s holiness and our inability to meet His perfect standard, pointing us to the need for His grace and mercy. The New Testament echoes this truth, teaching that salvation is God’s work on our behalf. Believing, therefore, is not work but the humble acceptance of a gift we could never earn. Like opening a present, receiving salvation requires no labor—only a heart willing to accept what God has already done. Our role is not to achieve but to receive, trusting in God’s grace that leads to salvation. His work on our behalf allows us to do good works, but our good works do not save us.

from the old testament

The Old Testament shows that salvation has always been God’s gracious gift, not something earned by human effort. Abraham “believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6), revealing that faith—trusting God’s promise—is what God credits as righteousness, not deeds.
Faith is not a work because it is a response to God’s initiative; He calls, draws, and enables belief (Deuteronomy 30:6). The Old Testament consistently shows that even when obedience is required, it flows from God’s mercy and covenant, not human achievement.
God gave the Israelites the Law, not to save them but to reveal God’s holiness and our inability to meet His perfect standard. The Law shows us that no one can earn salvation by works because no one can perfectly follow the Law (Psalm 143:2). Even within the law, sacrificial systems foreshadowed that only God provides atonement (Leviticus 17:11). The law does not save; it reveals the need for the Savior who gives salvation by grace through faith.

from the new testament

Faith is not a work because it is something God must do within us (John 6:44; Philippians 1:29).
On our own, we are sinful and would never choose Christ apart from His leading us to Himself (Romans 3:10–12; Ephesians 2:1).
When we realize the extent to which God has worked to freely offer us salvation, we realize we can take no credit for our salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5). It is only because of Him (1 Corinthians 1:30–31).
First, God's love is the initiator of our faith: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Second, Jesus is the author of our faith: "...looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). Christ provides the opportunity for salvation and then offers it to us personally. Without Him, we would not have an option for salvation (Acts 4:12).
Third, we are saved for good works, not by good works: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).
No one is righteous (Romans 3:10). We are not saved by works we have done (Titus 3:5). Only Christ can save.
Believing is not a work, but a response to what God is doing in our lives. We may not completely understand the full distinction between our faith response and God's salvation in our lives. However, it is clear in Scripture that salvation is not something we earn by any work, yet we must trust in Him by faith. Perhaps the analogy of a gift found in Ephesians 2:8-9 best expresses this idea: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Work is contrasted with a gift.

implications for today

The famous nineteenth century British pastor Charles Spurgeon once explained that when we are saved, we first think it was because we decided to follow Christ. Yet as we come to understand our sin and God's greatness, we realize we would never have chosen to follow Him unless He had first placed the desire within us. This illustration accurately describes what the Bible communicates regarding our human role in salvation. We are saved by God's grace upon us that leads us to place our faith in Him.

Faith is not a work but a response to the work God has done for and in us. When we receive a gift, we do not consider it "work" to open the gift. What we have received is free. We did nothing to earn it nor did it cost us anything. We simply need to open it to enjoy it. The same is true of salvation. It is a gift God freely offers. We need not work to earn it. Rather, we only need to receive it. When we do, we experience joy and desire to share this joy with others.

understand

Salvation is entirely God’s gift, and faith is the response He enables, not a work we perform.
The Law reveals our inability to earn salvation, showing our need for God’s grace and pointing to His provision.
Faith trusts in what God has done through His promises and Christ’s sacrifice, leaving no room for human credit.

reflect

How does knowing that salvation is a gift not a work impact the way you think about your own faith?
When have you been tempted to “earn” God’s favor instead of trusting His grace?
How can you grow in resting on God’s work rather than relying on your own efforts?

engage

How can we explain what the Bible teaches about the relationship between faith and works?
Why do so many people struggle to accept salvation as a gift instead of something to achieve?
How does the Old Testament’s teaching about the Law clarify and help us understand why faith is not a work?