Overview
God judges people by their deeds. This principle is often and emotionally disputed but well established in the Scriptures. This is what Jesus, Paul, and the Book of Revelation taught.
On the other hand, Paul also wrote that nobody will be “justified by the works of the Law.” He did not contradict himself, for we must distinguish between Works and Deeds:
The Works of the Law are the rituals of the Mosaic Law by which the Jews attempted to justify themselves before God. Christians are not subject to that law.
But God will judge the Deeds of people against the Law of Christ, which refers to eternal moral standards.
All people are judged by their deeds, but since nobody can ‘earn’ eternal life through their deeds, God justifies some by grace. Judging of deeds determines WHO will be saved, but grace is HOW they are saved.
If people are judged by their deeds but saved by grace, why did Paul also write that people are saved “through faith?”
Firstly, faith is the believer’s response to the realization that God is merciful and kind, loves us, and judges in mercy, not wishing that anyone should die.
Secondly, since we are unable to meet God’s standards, in mercy, He judged us not by the evil that we actually do but by the good we want to do, given our faith.
In conclusion, to say that people are judged by their deeds does not contradict the statement that nobody is “justified” by the “works of the law” because these two statements assume:
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- Two different laws or norms for human behavior and
- Two different means of justification.
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God judges people by their deeds.
This principle is often disputed but well established in the Scriptures:
This is what Jesus taught.
The Old Testament and Jesus consistently taught that people will be judged by their deeds. For example, Jesus said:
“The hour comes when all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:28-19). Show More
This is what Paul taught.
Many think that Paul taught that people will “reap corruption” or “eternal life” (Gal 6:8) irrespective of what kind of people they are or do. But Paul also taught that we will all be judged by our deeds:
“God … will render to each person according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good … eternal life; but to those who … obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation” (Rom 2:6-8).
“It is not the hearers of the law who are righteous but the doers of the law will be justified” (Rom 2:9-13). Show More
Revelation teaches the same principle.
In the Book of Revelation, Jesus said:
“I will give to each one of you according to your deeds” (Rev 2:23).
“He who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations” (Rev 2:26).
John “saw the dead, small and great, stand before God… they were judged every man according to their works“ (Rev 20:12-13). Show More
Works of the Law justified nobody.
On the other hand, Paul also wrote that nobody will be “justified by the works of the Law” (Gal 2:16; cf. Rom 3:20). He did not contradict himself, for we must distinguish between the Works of the Law, which will not justify anybody, and the Deeds of the Law, by which people are judged.
“Works” are Jewish rituals.
In the early decades of the Church, there was a controversy in the church over whether Gentile Christians must observe the Law of Moses (cf. Acts 15:5). (Read Article) Certain Jewish Christians told Gentile Christians:
“Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1).
It was to oppose this claim that Paul wrote that man is not justified by the works of the Law (Gal 2:16).
Circumcision, on which some Jewish Christians insisted, is not intrinsically a moral deed. Consequently, “the works of the law” refer specifically to the external ceremonies and rituals of the Law of Moses by which the Jews attempted to justify themselves before God. Show More
Deeds of the Law refer to moral issues.
Paul often uses the word “law” in his writings but with different meanings. Show More
Christians are not under the law of Moses.
The Acts 15 Church Council concluded that Gentile Christians do not have to observe the Law of Moses. God gave the Law to Israel to serve as their guardian, but only “until the seed would come” (Gal 3:19). Paul, therefore, proclaimed the “freedom” (Gal 5:1, 13) and “liberty which we have in Christ Jesus” (Gal 2:4) from the Law of Moses.
Christians are under the “Law of Christ.”
But Paul also referred to “the Law of Christ” (e.g., Gal 6:2). He wrote that he is:
“Not … under the Law … though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ” (1 Cor 9:20-21). Show More
Both the Law of Christ and the Law of Moses are laws of God, but they are two different sets of laws, and Christians are subject only to the “Law of Christ.” Show More
The Law of Christ is eternal moral standards.
Christ gave this law through His teachings. For example, in the Sermon on the Mount, He discussed some of the Ten Commandments and some other Old Testament laws but then gave His version of those laws, starting with the words, “But I say to you” (e.g., Matt 5:44). Jesus enacted “the Law of Christ” when He said:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations … teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20). Show More
The Law of Christ refers to God’s eternal moral principles. Read Article
God judges our deeds against the Law of Christ.
The “deeds” by which God judges people can be either good or bad (e.g., Rom 2:6-8). Therefore, these “deeds” are not the same as “the works of the law” (the rituals of the Law of Moses) but refer to standards of moral behavior. Therefore, the ‘law’ in the statement, “the doers of the Law will be justified,” is “the Law of Christ” (Gal 6:2). Show More
Judged by Deeds, Saved by Grace
In the Jewish “works of the law” system, grace is not required; you earn salvation and save yourself through the external rituals and ceremonies (works) of the Law of Moses.
In contrast, in the New Testament, people are judged by their deeds but justified “by grace … through faith” (Eph 2:8; cf. Gal 2:16, 20; 3:2, 5-9, 11, 14, 22, 24, 27; 5:5) because nobody is able to ‘earn’ eternal life through their deeds. Judged only by our deeds, we are all doomed. Rather, those people who are elected by God on the basis of their deeds are “justified as a gift by His grace” (Rom 3:24, 9). Therefore, judging of deeds determines WHO must be saved but grace is HOW they are saved. Show More
Where does Faith fit?
If people are judged by their deeds but saved by grace, why did Paul also write that people are saved “through faith” (Eph 2:8; Rom 5:1)? Why is faith also required? This may be understood in two ways:
1. Faith means to trust God.
Faith is not something you must do as another requirement for justification but simply the believer’s response to the realization that God is merciful and kind, loves us (e.g., 1 John 4:8; John 3:16), and judges in mercy, not wishing that anyone should die. Therefore, we can and must trust God. He will only do what is best for every one of His creatures. Show More
2. God judges us by what we want to do.
It sometimes seems as if Paul is saying that God judges our faith to determine who will be saved. For example:
“A man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom 3:28). Show More
Since we are unable to meet God’s standards, if He judged us only by the evil that we actually do, we would all be doomed. But God judges us by grace. Therefore, He judges us by the good we want to do, given our faith. God will save the people who want to comply with His law, even though they most often fail. Show More
Conclusion
To say that people are judged by their deeds does not contradict the statement that nobody is “justified” by the “works of the law” because these two statements assume:
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- Two different standards for human behavior and
- Two different means of justification.
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Listen to Graham Maxwell, a well-known preacher, explain his view of the Atonement and Justification in the Letter to the Galatians.