When we stand before the Lord, there is only one to whom we will point for our acceptance before God: Jesus Christ. He fulfilled the law that we could not, paid our debt on the cross, and credits his righteousness to our account. Even when we experience significant sanctification in this life through the work of the Holy Spirit, we will never point to our righteousness as the basis for our salvation. Remember, even the Pharisee who thanked God that he was not like other ungodly men gave God credit for his righteousness and all his works, yet he walked away unjustified (Luke 18:9-14).
Those who teach that works must be added to faith as a condition for salvation can never tell you when you have done enough. This fact alone exposes why you will never find assurance of salvation in their systems. The problems with believing our right standing before God is a result of Christ’s work, plus our merit are innumerable, but the inability of its proponents to answer the question, “How much work is enough?” exposes its destructive effect on the hearts of those who adhere to it.
I refer to the effects of this doctrine as destructive because there are only two possible responses to imbibing this theology, and neither is edifying. The first is bondage to pride. Someone who is blind to their sinfulness will begin to rejoice in their goodness. After all, they are contributing some merit to their salvation. Jesus has not done it all, so there is room for boasting. The second response is bondage to constant anxiety. Anyone awake to their corruption will tend in this direction. They will strive and struggle but will never find themselves able to rest in Christ because, as long as they live, Christ’s work will never be sufficient, and their work will never be complete.