Why Faith Alone Isn't What It Seems

While studying God’s plan of salvation with a friend, we came to Mk. 16:16…

“He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, he who does not believe shall be condemned.”

His response?

“What? Baptism? Works? That’s works-based salvation!”

Like so many of our friends, he’d been raised hearing about salvation by “faith alone.” And now he was visibly bristling at the suggestion that repentance (Lk. 13:3), confessing Jesus as Lord (Rom. 10:9–10), and baptism (Acts 2:38) are necessary for salvation.

It didn’t seem to matter that we both agreed:

• “No one can earn salvation (Lk. 17:10; Rom. 11:6”

• “Faith is absolutely essential (Heb. 11:6; Jn. 8:24)”

But the moment I pointed to Scriptures that teach other conditions God has revealed, the knives came out. Accusations started flying. Despite everything we had just agreed on, I was suddenly guilty of teaching salvation by works.

Here’s what I’d like you to consider:

What if the people who most loudly reject “works-based salvation”… have unknowingly embraced the most “works-based” plan of all?

What if the “faith” they claim is “alone” isn’t so alone after all?

Let me explain. Those who reject baptism, confession, and repentance often do so by appealing to grace: “Salvation is a gift—not something we earn!” But in the same breath, they claim that a single moment of belief—often undefined, sometimes reduced to mental assent or a one-time prayer—secures God’s eternal favor forever. This is commonly called “once saved, always saved.” The idea is: even if a person later denies Christ, lives in rebellion, or abandons the faith altogether, they still won’t lose their salvation. The argument is—you CAN’T fall away (Scripture says otherwise, Gal. 5:4; Jas. 5:19-20).

What’s really happened here? I know their argument is “That’s the power of grace!” But in reality, it’s a transactional salvation plan—built on the idea that one act—faith—obligates God forever, no matter what you do afterward. In other words, they’ve created the ultimate meritorious, works-based salvation built on a single act!

If nothing you do can “earn” salvation—then how does one moment of belief earn you an irrevocable place in heaven for eternity?

By their own logic, they've made God a debtor to those who believe once.

Which is exactly what Paul condemns: Now to the one who works, his wage is not counted according to grace, but according to what is due (Rom. 4:4).

In other words, if salvation is a once-for-all reward for a single act of faith, then faith itself has become a wage-earner.

The irony? In trying to protect grace from obedience, they’ve handed grace over to a transactional view of faith—and made it the most meritorious act imaginable!

They’ve declared war on “works-based salvation,” but they’ve created a work-based plan—one with a single step—“faith.”

That’s not grace. That’s not biblical faith. That’s entitlement of the highest order.

How can someone cringe at the suggestion God calls for repentance and baptism (Acts. 2:38), but be comfortable believing apostasy has no effect on salvation?

Last time I checked, Christians who reject the faith are rejected by God: They were broken off because of their unbelief unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you (Rom. 11:20-21).

If one act of faith doesn’t obligate God for eternity, and if obedience isn’t earning salvation, then we’re left with a simple, question: What does real, saving faith actually look like—according to the Bible?

What we find is a God who always extends grace, and always calls for a response:

• Heb. 5:9 – He is the source of salvation to all who obey Him.

  
  

• Jas. 2:17–26 – …faith without works is dead.

  
  

• Acts 2:38 – …repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.

  
  

• Rom. 6:17 – …obedient from the heart to that form of teaching…

Read these verse in their contexts carefully. There’s nothing in them to suggest obedience ever earns salvation, BUT every text shows that obedience is the expression of true faith, and this is how one receives the gift of salvation.

For example in Acts 2, Peter preaches the Gospel—Jesus sacrificed for sins, and raised from the dead as Lord and Christ (v. 36). The people believe, are cut to the heart, and ask, “What shall we do?” (v. 37) Peter’s response?

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…” (v. 38)

Peter preached God’s grace (the offering of Jesus). They were convicted and believed the message (faith). They expressed their faith in obedience (repentance and baptism), and received the promised gift of salvation (forgiveness of sins). It’s that simple. By faith they obeyed and received grace in Christ. This is the response that’s consistently held up in Heb. 11:

• By faith, Noah built the ark (v. 7)

  
  

• By faith, Abraham left his home and offered Isaac (vv. 8, 17)

  
  

• By faith, Israel crossed the Red Sea and marched around Jericho (vv. 29–30)

By faith…they obeyed—that’s the pattern. As it was then, so it is now. Faith didn’t stop at mere belief. It moved them to submit. That’s the only kind of faith the Bible ever calls “saving” (Jas. 2:14ff).

The great irony here is that in trying to protect grace from any condition—baptism, repentance, confession—many have embraced a plan that makes one act of faith the greatest work of all.

They’ve built a gospel of no effort that only works if you do it exactly their way. One act. One prayer. One belief. And then it’s locked in forever. That’s not grace. That’s a loophole.

Grace is the only reason any of us can be saved (Ti. 3:5-7).

Faith is the only way to access that grace (Rom. 5:1-2).

Obedience is the only kind of faith Scripture calls saving (Jas. 2:14).

You don’t “do your best and let grace fill the rest.” You stop trusting yourself entirely—and trust Jesus enough to obey Him fully.

Jesus is: The source of grace (Jn. 1:17), the means of salvation (Rom. 3:24), the model of obedience (Phil. 2:8), and the one who calls us to follow (Matt. 28:19–20).

So don’t settle for a counterfeit gospel that reduces faith to a transaction. Respond to the real gospel—the one where grace is real, faith is obedient, and Christ is everything.

“He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, he who does not believe shall be condemned.”