Grace and salvation

Salvation is all God’s doing

Ro 5:6–8; Eph 1:7; 1 Ti 1:15–16

See also Ex 33:19; Ac 4:12; Ac 20:24; Ro 5:15–17; 2 Co 6:2; Col 1:13–14; 2 Th 2:16; Tt 2:11; Heb 7:23–25; Re 7:10

There is nothing human beings can do to save themselves

Titus 3:4–7 NRSV

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

See also Lk 18:9–14; Ro 11:5–6

Salvation is not by keeping God’s law

Galatians 5:4 NRSV

You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

See also Ro 5:20–21; Ro 6:14; Ro 8:1–4; Ga 2:21; Ga 3:17–18; 1 Ti 1:9

Salvation must be accepted as a free gift by faith

Ephesians 2:4–9 NRSV

But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

See also Ac 15:7–11; Ac 16:30–31; Ro 3:21–24; Ro 4:14–16; Ro 5:1–2; Heb 4:16