Why do so many people believe in salvation by works?

TL;DR:

Many people mistakenly think salvation can be earned through good deeds, equating effort with God’s approval. In reality, salvation is a free gift from God, received through faith in Jesus, with good works flowing naturally from a transformed life rather than securing it.

what does the bible say?

Many people believe salvation can be earned through works due to misunderstanding and human nature. From early experiences with fairness and reward, we tend to equate effort with approval, and religious practices that emphasize obedience can reinforce the idea that we must earn God’s favor. This mindset overlooks that salvation is a gift, received through faith in Jesus rather than through human effort. Misinterpreting commands and blessings as a formula for earning heaven can lead us to focus on performance instead of relationship. True salvation comes from faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, a gift from God not because we deserve it but because He loves us. Salvation transforms our hearts and lives, producing good deeds as a result, not as a requirement.

from the old testament

In the Law, God promised blessings, protection, and prosperity for obedience, and warned of consequences for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:1-14, 15-68). People saw a direct connection between their actions and God’s favor, which could easily be misunderstood as earning salvation through works. However, salvation was found in covenant relationship with God (Exodus 19:5-6; Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 7:9).
Offering sacrifices, observing festivals, and following the Law were central to worship (Leviticus 1–7). These practices pointed to God’s mercy, but some got the impression that performing them perfectly could secure favor with God.
Stories like Cain offering a flawed sacrifice (Genesis 4) or Israel repeatedly breaking the Law (Judges, Kings) show that humans wrongly think they can earn God’s approval through deeds rather than trusting Him.

from the new testament

Only through His Son, Jesus, can a person be made right with God and receive eternal life (John 1:12; Acts 4:12).
The Bible is clear that our good deeds cannot earn us salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly states, "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."
John 3:16 tells us how we can be saved, and it is not by works: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Romans 6:23 adds, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Many today are similar to the woman at the well in John 4 when it comes to the gift of God's salvation. We see Jesus from a human perspective while He speaks of eternal life. When Jesus addressed her, He said, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water" (John 4:10). Our focus must be to see life from His perspective rather than our limited, human view. When we do, we find that He already loves us and offers salvation freely to those who believe.

implications for today

Many people expect God to evaluate us the same way we evaluate one another: as long as the good outweighs the bad, everything is okay; do enough good things and you will make God happy and make it into heaven. This misunderstanding is based on the idea that being "good enough" can grant a person access to God in heaven. However, being perfect God, His standard is perfection.

Many also misunderstand the commands about doing good deeds in the Bible as the basis of salvation. However, the Bible is clear that doing good deeds is the result of salvation, not the basis of it.

Many people also view God the Father as they do an earthly father. Many people have had performance-based relationships with their father that functioned with the perspective of doing good things to make their father happy and to stay out of trouble. Good behavior was to be rewarded and bad behavior punished. Those who view God in this way can easily misunderstand His role as Father Being to be pleased without understanding the importance of knowing personally through faith in Jesus.

Many also desire a sense of control regarding their afterlife. The idea of performing certain works that will help one reach heaven appeals to those who seek clear lists of rights and wrongs to achieve success. Unfortunately, those who take this approach miss out on two critical issues. First, no one can perform well enough to achieve perfect status before God (Romans 3:23). Second, God does not expect us to perform well enough and has provided Jesus to offer us salvation as a free gift (Romans 6:23).

The Bible does include many commands regarding righteous behaviors to embrace and sinful behaviors to oppose. However, a person does not enter heaven based on how well he or she performs or excels in these areas. Instead, salvation is provided as a free gift. May we recognize this and accept His gift of salvation today!

understand

People mistakenly link effort with approval, leading to the idea that salvation can be earned.
God’s favor cannot be earned by anything we do.
Salvation is a free gift through faith in Jesus, with good works flowing from this transformation.

reflect

How have you sometimes tried to earn God’s favor through your actions rather than trusting His grace?
How has understanding salvation as a gift changed how you approach God?
How can you remind yourself that good deeds flow from your relationship with God, not as a way to earn salvation?

engage

How do cultural or religious ideas about “earning” favor influence the way we view salvation today?
How can we help others understand that salvation is a gift, not a reward for performance, while emphasizing the importance of our actions (just not for salvation)?
How does recognizing salvation as a free gift shape the way we live, serve, and relate to others?