Faith and works

Jurisdiction or obedience? Salvation on the basis of merits or from grace?

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." - says Paul in his letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 2:8-9) pointing out the fact that a Christian may thank his eternal life exclusively to God's grace; for that can not be merited by his own works. God sent his Son to the Earth from his compassion and love for the people; that by him the mankind may be saved from its sin.
In Ephesians 2:1-2 Paul says that before their conversion the Christians were dead in their sins, they lived according to the lifestyle of the world following the desires of their body. God was the one, who brought them to life. But that is important to consider what this expression 'God brought them to life' means.

So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, (...) that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in {the likeness of} God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Ephesians 4:17 and 22-24)

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,... (Ephesians 4:1)

From the above quoted thoughts from the letter to the Ephesians - but also from other parts of the New Testament - is clear that God saved the mankind by sending Jesus, who proclaimed God's forgiveness, and called the people for repentance from the sins, for relationship with God and for a joyful and prospering life. (John 10:10)
The sin separates us from God as Isaiah expresses:

Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden {His} face from you so that He does not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2)

Therefore, Jesus calls all those who want to live with God for a consistent fight against sin. For we recee the grace and the forgiveness from God so that we do not want anymore to live in sin.

... I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more. (John 8:11b)

Paul confirms the same:

... For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in {further} lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. (Romans 6:19)

And working together {with Him,} we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. (2 Corinthians 6:1)

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age. (Titus 2:11-12)

All the admonishments, encouragements of the New Testament may be quoted, and they would show that God gives the grace for living holy life. By not living in this way one may take in vain God's grace; and gives a false testimony for other people, while with his life he does not represent God's power purifying from sin and changing the life.

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

So the opinion - shared also by Luther - that the Christian life is invisible externally is completely false.(1)

So speaking and emphasising the fruits of the Christian life and the deeds of the holy life may not be called jurisdiction; for it does not speak about the laws of the Old Testament, and not about human effort, achievement; but rather about a fight for holiness, what is by Jesus' salvation, by the relationship with God and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
"Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, {being} by itself." (James 2:17) - says James, and his thoughts are not in contradiction with the teaching of the Letter to the Romans. (Romans 4) For there Paul set the works of the Old Testament law against the grace and faith; while James speaks about the worthlessness of believing in God's existence without works. Paul writes against those who still want to be justified by keeping the Old Testament law; James writes against those, who testifies their faith only by their words, but they do not fight for holiness in their life, their following of Jesus is not visible. As the belief in God may not mean only the admission of his existence and feature (James 2:19); in the same way the belief in Jesus Christ can not be simply the admission of the historicity of Jesus' life and acts (including his death and resurrection).

He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36)

Jesus identifies the faith with obedience. We may highlight that Jesus speaks about obedience, and not about a life improved in some points (giving up harmful habits, or sins condemned even by worldly laws; kindness, humanitarian or religious acts, etc.). Jesus calls the people for following him, as he called the young rich man, who lived a life according to God in many points but was not ready to give the first place to God in his life, following Jesus. (Matthew 19:16-26) As John says:

The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1 John 2:6)

Jesus completely sacrificed his life for those who needed help; he lived for manifesting God's love, and led them to God. He calls for the same all those who want to follow him.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35)

As Christians we shall endeavour to complete what Jesus called for. That is not a sinless, perfect life; but an effort, what may not mean a powerless attempt, but a fight Paul speaks about in his first letter to the Corinthians:

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but {only} one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then {do it} to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

We shall not excuse ourselves with the feebleness of man, for Jesus was aware of it (Hebrews 12:1-4), nevertheless he told us what he demands from his followers:

If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. (Matthew 16:24b)

The sin can not become permanent, but even if we fell, we shall stand up again taking power from God's forgiveness (1 John 2:1) and fight against the sin till the end. (Hebrews 12:1-4)
No one can make himself worthy for the eternal life simply by his deeds. But the deed shows if one has real relationship to God, if he has really repented, if he accepted God's grace, if he believes in Jesus, if the power of Jesus' salvation became reality in his life. If yes, than it is seen in his life.

... show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:18b)

This is the reason why the New Testament often speaks about the judgement as one on the base of deeds.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

So the opinion that the belief in Jesus' death and resurrection is enough in itself for the salvation is false; but so do the other extreme that we shall gain merits in front of God by good works. The later is refuted also in a parable of Jesus whose ending thought is:

So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done {only} that which we ought to have done. (Luke 17:10)

The word of God is reality also today and able to change the life of those, who want that, those who freely decide to serve Jesus with their lives, taking the easy and light yoke of Jesus (Matthew 11:30) and not of the law; submitted themselves to the law of freedom (James 1:25 and 2:12), and not to the law of the Old Testament; bearing fruits for God, testifying about the power of His grace. They are those who hear and understand the word of Jesus:

I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock {with} one shepherd. (John 10:14-16)