Saved by Grace Through Faith Alone Shown by Jesus and the Old Testament
The concept that we are saved by grace through faith alone is a central theme in Paul's writings and is often primarily used to communicate this idea, due to the explicit nature grace is conveyed in these epistles (Romans 3:28, Romans 9:30-32, Ephesians 2:8-9). In this dissertation, the concept of salvation being received by God's grace through faith alone, and not by our works, will be illustrated with Jesus' teachings and passages of the Old Testament to reveal that this is an underlying theme of the entire Bible.
A Sinful Woman Forgiven Luke 7:36-50 :
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went
into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the
city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the
Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind
him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped
them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the
ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to
himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of
woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering
said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it,
Teacher.”
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five
hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the
debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one,
I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You
have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you
see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she
has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no
kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did
not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore
I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he
who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are
forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves,
“Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith
has saved you; go in peace.”
"But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting others."
The illustration here is that the Pharisees got caught up in the religion aspect of service and works, but completely neglected the underlying purpose of these acts—to love God. Without opening your heart to God in humility, you cannot be a tree that bears good fruit (Matthew 7:17-18). In other words, does a person's own negative actions cause them to harbor a hardened heart of disbelief, or do the negative actions come about due to the source being a hardened heart of disbelief?
The woman in the story of Luke 7 is presumed to be a person with grievous sins of immorality. The Pharisee's self-piety reveals he does not want to associate with her at all due to her actions. However, the woman's actions suggest a deep level of recognition and respect for who Jesus is. Driven by the love for God, she washed Jesus' feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, kissed his feet, and anointed him with ointment. These actions bear a cultural and religious context of profound gestures of respect and honor. Jesus' statement to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace," underscores her actions were motivated by faith. Faith not merely as a teacher or healer, but as someone with the authority to forgive and save. This woman loved God so much she lowered herself in humility and repentance acknowledging Jesus' authority in the gospel messages he had been preaching. The result of this was the forgiveness of her sins through the grace of God. If the woman's redemption from her sins was based upon the net sum of her actions, it is well stated that her sins greatly outweighed anything she just did to wash and anoint Jesus. To say she earned partial recovery for her sins through her good deeds serving Christ implies Jesus' atonement was not eternal and sufficient requiring works to enable the redeeming power of God.
Such forgiveness was truly a gift that this woman did not deserve through any of her actions, hence, why it is called grace. The reality is none of us are deserving of forgiveness, because we are not capable of doing any good at all without God (Romans 3:10-18). Adam and Eve pursued it and were cut off from the presence of God as a consequence. Neither are not to justify ourselves by observing someone else as a greater sinner, when the reality is each one of us have an unfathomable amount of debt to pay (Matthew 18:23-35).
Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector Luke 18:9-14 :
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves
that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up
into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The
Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not
like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax
collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax
collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but
beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this
man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who
exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be
exalted.”
Jesus gave a parable using two notoriously opposite figures in Israel's society. The Pharisee trusts in his own righteousness to be positionally justified before God. The tax collector humbly acknowledged his need for God's mercy. The tax collector, whose sins were many, received grace from God. His life's works were corrupt and sinful, yet he received the redeeming gift from God undeservedly only because he had a true mindset of humble faith. This is grace. Despite the Pharisee's life dedicated to religion, he did not receive vindication because he did not truly love God. He failed to realize that works do not earn righteousness. Righteousness is only granted by God through genuine faith Romans 9:30-32 :
"What shall we say, then? That the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone[.]"
The importance here is to highlight human tendency both in the new and old covenant to take God's instruction and make it external rather internal, religious rather than faithful, law rather than grace. The gospel is a matter of a heart of faith toward God and to others. Justification and righteousness do not come by merely living according to rules, but in faithful obedience to God's gracious purposes revealed in the law. The tax collector may have a long way to go on faithful obedience, but his heart was set in the right place allowing him to become a recipient of grace and a vessel for future good in God's hands. Meanwhile, the Pharisee is more interested in his own pride using God's rules for his own self-gain in a gospel-less way of living.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-32 :
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
The younger son received a great amount of wealth and squandered it all through a sinful and immoral lifestyle. One could say God has given us a great wealth individually with many talents, yet many waste these talents through selfish desires and sin. Once this younger son hit rock bottom in life due to his horrible decisions, he desired to reconnect with his father in humility and repentant heart. Before this confession could even happen, the father runs in welcome to his son indicating grace being extended preceding the repentance.
Despite the prodigal son's net actions equaling bad and doing no special works or progression to earn partial favor, all is forgiven by the father because the son came back with a repentant heart. The son has become anew in God and is vindicated for his actions as indicated by the decoration received and being put back in his place at home. This is grace and all the prodigal son did was have faith. Meanwhile, the older son who obeyed the father by doing good works is angered by the celebration and special treatment for his disobedient brother. Why had the older brother not received such treatment for his works? Because grace is not contingent on our works. While this older brother very well may have received grace previously, he is challenged by the compassion shown toward other sinners.
This parable is a vivid example of God's grace showing unconditional love and forgiveness that is not based on our merit. Jesus did not show the prodigal son being baptized to receive a cleansing of the soul. Neither was the son shown to have done any works to achieve partial recovery beyond changing his heart and returning home. While obedience to the father is important, what matters first is where our heart is, because the heart is where God judges us. If it were by our fruits, the prodigal son would have never been accepted back into the home.
The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith Habakkuk 2:4 :
"Behold his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith."
The first portion of this verse contrasts the proud and arrogant, but their soul is corrupted. However, being righteous or just before God does not come from a place where we can boast or be proud. As the three stories illustrated prior in Luke, a key element in receiving justification before God is to have a heart pointed to God in humility. To be proud and puffed up suggests a heart pointed inward entirely lacking in humility.
The second portion of the verse uses the Hebrew word הַצַּדִּיק for "righteous", which refers to one who is righteous or just. The justified before God shall live by faith. The concept of "living by faith" in this passage extends beyond mere physical survival, in this case deliverance from bondage as a nation, but to eternal life as well. "Shall live" is left open to not just mean the provisional needs being provided by God through faith, but to include the life beyond the earth. Otherwise, the Spirit of God working through Habakkuk would have specified the meaning referring to just the physical. Just like many poetic verses in the Old Testament, this verse is multi-dimensional.
People do not become justified through the pride of their own doing, but become positionally just with God by their faith. This is grace. God wants a change of heart of humility and repentance to Him and not us seeking to do good on our own. As further illustration of what this verse means, it is quoted numerous times in the New Testament to lay the foundation of faith and the positional standing with God, such as Galatians 3:11 :
Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."
God’s Covenant with Abraham Genesis 15:1-6 :
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a
vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said,
“Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be
my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not
be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him
outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to
number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he
believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
This verse refers to Abraham's faith in God's promise to make his offspring as numerous as the stars. In the final verse, "And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness," the Hebrew word used for "believed" is הֶאֱמִן (he'emin). The verb means to believe, to have faith in, to trust, or to be faithful. The significance of this verb in the context of Genesis 15:6 goes beyond mere mental assent to a statement; it implies a deep, trusting relationship. The act of believing and trusting in God credited Abraham as righteousness and justification before God. In other words, Abraham has received redemption.
This act of believing marks a foundational moment in the understanding of faith and righteousness in the biblical narrative. Righteousness in God's eyes is not about human achievement or adherence to a set of laws, but about faith and trust in God's promises and character. As James 2:22 illustrates, Abraham's faith was driving his works, and his faith was completed by being willing to sacrifice his son. In other words, Abraham's genuine faith was validated and brought into full expression of maturity. However, Abraham's justified position with God occurred before these actions by changing his heart to a deep trusting and faith in God. He had not earned justification, it was granted. This is grace. The admirable works came later through progressive sanctification done by God shaping him to do His will.