Reconciling FAITH and WORKS in Scripture
On the one hand, there are passages in the New Testament which teach that we are saved by faith without works of the law. Here are just a few of them:
"For by works of the law no human being will be justified [saved] in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20)
"Sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace [free gift]." (Romans 6:14)
"Yet we know that a person in not justified [saved] by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ." (Galatians 2:16)
"For by grace [free gift] you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
On the other hand, there are passages that teach the importance of obedience to the law and commandments to be saved:
"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love." (John 15:10)
"For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law who will be justified [saved]." (Romans 2:13)
"Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary we uphold the law." (Romans 3:31)
"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissenstions, division, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)
"You see that a person is justified [saved] by works and not by faith alone." (James 2:24)
So, how do we reconcile these apparently contradictory statements? There are at least two ways theologians do so:
1. The Westminster Confession of Faith, makes a distinction between three aspects of the Law: ceremonial law, civil law, and moral law. So, when the writers of the New Testament speak of the law, they are not always speaking of the entirety of the law. The New Testament repealed the ceremonial aspects of the law, as well as application of civil law under Old Covenant Israel's theocracy. Examples include Acts 10:12-15; Romans 14:17; Galatians 5:1-5; Colossians 2:11-16. But moral law is affirmed in the New Testament as valid. At least nine of the Ten Commandments are presented as valid (Got Questions). Moral laws were not repealed, but certain harsh penalties for them are no longer in force. An example is Jesus' treatment of the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11, where Jesus condemned her sin by freed her from the death penalty under Jewish law. In fact, the New Testament strengthened moral law by including lust and hatred as violations of adultery and murder (Matthew 5:27-28; 1 John 3:15). It is also noteworthy that moral law existed before the Ten Commandments were given to Israel. God harshly judged nations who did not have the Law--including Noah's neighbors, the Canaanites, Sodom and Gomorrah, Babylon, Edom, etc.
2. The book of James (2:14-24) makes a distinction between a dead faith and a faith that saves--thus a living faith. He states, "What good is it, my brothers, if someone has a faith but does not have works. Can that [such a] faith save him?" So, we understand the New Testament to be saying that we are saved by an obedient, trusting, living faith and not a dead faith.
Antinomianism is a doctrine that rejects the idea that Christians are obligated to follow moral laws. Catholics and protestants alike condemn antinomianism as heresy, understanding obedience as an aspect of a living (saving) faith.
Yet, we are not saved by works of the law, which is legalism. Legalism is also condemned. Thus, the proper balance is that we are saved through faith: a certain type of faith, a living faith in Jesus Christ alone.