Works of Grace

How many such discussions I have already had - I do not even remember. Many. About works, grace, faith, catholic confusion, their disbelief, impossibility to make them understand. And even when I almost am there, at the farthest point of their reasoning and I almost can touch their grasping the idea - they fall away and return to their standpoint of works for salvation.
So if I may quote a perfect, concise description of the idea, this will be of great importance.

This is an excerpt from "The Gospel according to Jesus", by John F. MacArthur, Jr.

"We must remember above all that salvation is a sovereign work of God. Biblically it is defined by what it produces, not by what one does to get it. Works are not necessary to earn salvation. But true salvation wrought by God will not fail to produce the good works that are its fruit.

So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
(Mat 7:17)

No aspect of salvation is merited by human works, but it is all the work of God.

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
(Tit 3:5-7)

Thus salvation cannot be defective in any dimension.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
(Eph 2:10)

As a part of his saving work, God will produce repentance, faith, sanctification, yieldedness, obedience, and ultimately glorification. Since he is not dependent on human effort in producing these elements, an experience that lacks any of them cannot be the saving work of God.
If we are truly born of God, we have a faith that cannot fail to overcome the world.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
(1Jo 5:4)

We may sin

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
(1Jo 2:1)

-- we will sin -- but the process of sanctification can never stall completely. God is at work in us,

for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
(Phi 2:13)

and he will continue to perfect us until the day of Christ.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
(Phi 1:6)

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
(1Th 5:23-24) "