Not by works, lest any man should boast — but by faith, which worketh by love

There is an old, dangerous impulse in man: we want to “add” something to God, so we can be sure we are truly okay. Not always from bad motives. Often from fear, uncertainty, or that inner pressure that says, “I also want to give something—so I’m not only receiving.” But the Bible does not pat this idea on the head; it exposes it: if even a single drop of “and me too” is mixed into the foundation of my justification, then that foundation is no longer grace, but wages. And wherever wage-logic is at work, there will either be boasting—or despair when we fail.

This writing is not only for “someone else,” but for me too, and for you too. Because experience proves it: we are all inclined to excuse ourselves, justify ourselves, and say, “I’m not being legalistic; I’m just doing good for the Lord.” The question is: truly for the Lord? Or does our heart—often unnoticed—cook self-righteousness out of our good deeds? Scripture will not let us hide behind our good works: it examines both the foundation and the direction of the heart.

To understand the subject, it helps to clarify the key terms. “To justify” (Greek dikaioō, Strong G1344) means: to declare righteous, to acquit, to grant a righteous standing (not the result of “inner self-improvement,” but a judicial status). “Grace” (charis, G5485): unearned favor, gifted goodwill. “Faith” (pistis, G4102): trust, reliance, faithful clinging. “Work/deed” (ergon, G2041): action, labor, performance. “Law” (nomos, G3551): God’s commanded order (in Paul often connected to the Mosaic order as well). Together these sketch the biblical order: God gives, man believes, and from this flows the fruit of a new life.

The foundation of justification: not human performance, but God’s gift

Scripture speaks with great clarity: before God, man does not “improve himself,” but is saved by grace. The law does not save; it exposes. (This is an image: not a “ladder” we climb, but a “mirror” that shows what is on us.)

Romans 3:20 (KJV): “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Romans 3:28 (KJV): “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Galatians 2:16 (KJV): “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Ephesians 2:8–10 (KJV): “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Titus 3:5 (KJV): “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”

Watch the order, because this is where most people slip: God saves first (by grace, through faith), and then He gives new life, whose fruit is good works. Good works are not the price of salvation, but the sign and consequence of salvation.

What does Paul mean by “the deeds/works of the law”?

Many stumble here: “Which law?” In Paul, this often connects to the Mosaic order, but the point goes deeper: when someone seeks a righteous standing before God by the law-path, the logic becomes: “If I keep it well enough, then God will accept me.”

But the law-path does not demand “almost perfect.” The standard is God’s holiness, and on that path failure is not a small matter.

James 2:10 (KJV): “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

That is why Paul says no one is justified by the works of the law: man cannot produce God’s righteous measure from himself in such a way that it becomes the foundation of justification. And if someone thinks he “does,” he is often (without noticing) keeping his own manufactured measure, not God’s.

Jesus did not weaken the law; He put it in its place: He did not come to destroy it, but to fulfill it—and thus to show who the only One is that brings perfect righteousness.

Matthew 5:17 (KJV): “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

A necessary precision: we are not saying that a believer “can never obey.” We are saying that he cannot produce the foundation of justification by the law-path. Christ’s righteousness is ours by faith, and obedience flows from that (as fruit), not the other way around.

God’s glory excludes human boasting — and this is protection

Again and again Scripture shows that God acts so that, in the end, man is left with no ground for boasting. One reason is that the human heart can carve an idol even out of “good”: its own righteousness, its own name, its own security. That is why God excludes human performance from being the foundation of salvation.

Ephesians 2:9 (KJV): “Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

This principle appears in Israel’s history as well: God does not allow the events to be explained as if man’s hand were the decisive cause.

Exodus 32:12 (KJV): “Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.”

Deuteronomy 9:28 (KJV): “Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.”

Deuteronomy 32:27 (KJV): “Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the LORD hath not done all this.”

The lesson is the same: if in the depths of your heart the thought is, “God did His part, and I did my part,” then the possibility of boasting has already appeared. But Scripture excludes that: the glory belongs to God.

Living faith does not remain without works

Many fall into the opposite extreme: “then it doesn’t matter how I live.” It does matter. Grace is not permission to sin, but power for new life. The faith that saves is living faith—and living faith bears fruit.

James 2:17–18 (KJV): “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

Galatians 5:6 (KJV): “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”

Romans 6:14 (KJV): “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

The order is holy: grace → faith → new life → good works (fruit). If you reverse it—good works → acceptance—you slide back under law.

The hidden danger: the heart makes excuses — and can deceive

This is the sensitive point: man’s heart easily acquits itself—especially when he does something beautiful and good. Then the heart whispers, “See, you’re fine.” And a person may cover it with “spiritual sentences”: “I’m not being legalistic; my works are clean before the Lord.” Yet it is possible that behind such sentences there is escape: so we don’t have to look at the motive.

Jeremiah 17:9–10 (KJV): “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

Proverbs 28:26 (KJV): “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.”

1 Corinthians 4:7 (KJV): “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”

That is why Jesus warns: even a good deed can be done in such a way that human recognition becomes the aim. Not always consciously—but the danger is real.

Matthew 6:1 (KJV): “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.”

That is why even in the simplest act of help it is wise to ask: “Lord, why am I doing this? Whose glory will it be?” The sound of cleansing is not, “Look how good I am,” but: “Lord, by Thy grace I can give, and I serve with gratitude.”

The same legalism, only dressed in modern clothes

We do not need to go back to the Old Testament to find the pattern; it lives today. The essence of legalism is not how many commandments someone can quote, but whether he makes performance the foundation of acceptance, identity, or judging others. Thus the modern sentences are born: “I attend church faithfully, therefore God surely accepts me more”; “I read the Bible a lot and pray a lot—so I’m fine”; “I don’t watch that, I don’t listen to that—so I’m cleaner”; “I give, I serve, I help—so I am a good person.” There can be discipline and good intention in these, but if deep down they become: “Therefore accept me, Lord,” then the weight has shifted.

Closing: the sure foundation is Christ, and works are fruit

God does not ask you to cosmetically improve your heart, but to give it to Him, and to let Him examine and cleanse it. Works matter, but the foundation matters more: your salvation does not stand on your performance, but on Christ.

A simple, unsparing self-test: when I do good, can I say this from the heart?

“Lord, You do not accept me because of this; You accepted me for Christ’s sake. I do this in gratitude.”

Do not let your heart deceive you. Do not trust in your own goodness, but in Christ’s grace. And when you do good—do it boldly, do it steadfastly—but always in such a way that the glory does not stick to you, but rises to God: “Lord, it is by Thy grace.”