K98. Are we saved if we do not do any work?

No. We are not saved if we do not work. I will explain.

Of course, we are not saved by works (the works of the law - Gal 2:16, 3: 2,10) but we cannot afford not  to have any work. We are not saved to do nothing. If we are saved to do nothing, Jesus would not have told to do many works. If Jesus always taught us to do His words and bear fruit, we must have works. If we must have works, we must work. Of course, the works (of salvation or unto salvation) are not the works of the law or the things that we normally do to impress others or ourselves. They must be the works of repentance, faith, and love. In another words, they could be any work which we do out of repentance, obedience, and love to God, and it will 'well up' to our salvation:
Php 2:11-13 KJV  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (12)  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  (13)  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
(Many tries to explain that 'work out your own salvation' should be accurately translated as 'work out FROM your own salvation'. They think that by inserting the word 'FROM' into the words, they will give people the assurance that their salvation is not affected by any of their works or doing. However, both Strong's and Thayer's dictionaries did not give that suggestion. They translated it as 'accomplish, work fully, achieve, result in, bring about, finish, ..' - all these suggests completion of our salvation by what we do or work out. Even if we doubt on Thayer's definition and conclude that our works or doing can never affect our salvation, can we explain why Paul told us to do it 'with fear and trembling'? Obviously, Paul deliberately wants us to know that what we do or work out can affect our salvation and we should 'fear and tremble'.)

The part that we need to work out our own salvation seems to be contradictory to the 'fearless' grace message which many preach today, but the warning of Paul to work out our salvation is still true even if we preach it to the people today. For example, if you were rescued by the lifeguard who bring you on board a boat, Are you saved by the lifeguard or are you saved by the boat? Strictly speaking, you are saved by the lifeguard, not by the boat; but you cannot afford to be completely saved without the boat. If you are saved, you must remain in the boat.
Similarly, if you are saved by Jesus, you must repent, believe, obey, do His words, and work out your own salvation according to His words. Strictly speaking, you are saved by Jesus, not by His words; but you cannot afford to be saved completely without doing His words. This is not what I say; this is what Jesus said (and later fully understood and confirmed by Paul in Php 2:11-13).

In my previous post K097, I have said that Jesus did the most important work for us and we can never do that work which is also called His finished work or sacrificial work. But it does not mean that we do not need to work or bear fruit. That's why He said,
Joh 15:1-5 KJV  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  (2)  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit .. .. (5)  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
It is a picture which shows that:
1. He has work that we cannot do because He is the Vine
2. We have works too because we are the branches, and He would not do the works that we must do. We must bear fruit; or else we will be taken away. He did not say just fruit; but much fruit or more fruit. It means that we must bear enough fruit (work), and it can be seen by others.

If we read His illustration with another parable in Luk 13:1-9, we will know that we have been commanded to bear fruit or to bring fruit of repentance. There can never be fruit of repentance unless we repent:
Luk 13:5-9 KJV  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  (6)  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.  (7)  Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?  (8)  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:  (9)  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
The above parable tells us that we cannot bear fruit when we are sinners. But, if we repent and believe in Him, we can still bear fruit and do the works of repentance.
Mat 3:8 KJV  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Act 26:20 KJV  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Are we saved if we do not have any work or fruit (of repentance)?
Please read all the Bible verses above again. Did you read:
Joh 15:2 KJV  .. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away .. (6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Luk 13:9 KJV  .. And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Jesus said these words. It is so clear. It means that those who do not have any work or fruit will be taken away, burnt, or cut down in the judgement of God. We can never hide it, twist it, or lie about it.

We enter into the rest to do more work
We are not saved by our works; but by the finished work of Jesus. But, are we saved if we do not have any work? No. If we are truly saved by the finished work of Jesus, we must bear fruit and have works. This is again confirmed by Jesus: 
Mat 16:24-27 KJV  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  (25)  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. .. (27)  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Many may still argue, "But, if we have rest in the Lord, how can you tell us to work now?" I will tell them, You have rest from the works of the law to enter into the rest under the new covenant. But that rest is not a rest which requires you to do nothing under the new covenant. Please think, If God told the Israelites to enter into the promised land (or into His rest), did He mean that there would be no more work in the promised land or in His rest? No, if there were works upon entering of the promised land, there will be works upon entering into His new covenant too.

How will Jesus reward us?
The Bible verses above show clearly that Jesus rewards us according to our works. However, if we have no work, how can He reward us? According to the grace of God under His new covenant, we are still commanded to work:
1Co 3:9-15 KJV  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.  (10)  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.  (11)  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  (12)  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;  (13)  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.  (14)  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  (15)  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Many will argue, "But we are told that we are still saved by the 'skin of our teeth' even if we have no work. We can just trust in God's grace totally. We do not fear .. " I will tell them, If you think that Paul would give such a warning so that you will be saved by the 'skin of your teeth', go ahead and do nothing. But I will never tell anyone to be saved in this way. I will tell every man to work and it is a serious warning to every man. Why is it a serious warning? It is because many in the last days may believe, but they do not have any work. They do not have any work because they have believed in a lie:

Rev 22:9-15 KJV  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.  (10)  And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.  (11)  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.  (12)  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.  (13)  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  (14)  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.  (15)  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

How will Jesus judge us?
Jesus has clearly said that He will not only reward; He will also judge:
Rev 3:15-19 KJV  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  (16)  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  (17)  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:  (18)  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  (19)  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Many lukewarm churches or radical preachers had said that there was no more law, no more sin, no more repentance, no more work, no more judgement, and .. etc. They may now change their minds and argue that they had never preached it. However, they may now try to preach and define a different law (eg. an effortless 'law'), a different confession (eg. their confession of righteousness), a different repentance (eg. their change of mind), a different work (eg. their boasting of a 'pure grace revolution'), a different judgement (eg. their bayma seat of judgement with only rewards) and .. etc. But by doing so, they show to us that they do not really have the spirit of repentance. Instead of repentance, they are still trying to justify themselves with more and more of their perverted 'lawless' doctrine.

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