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Salvation by Grace Alone: 25 Passages

Salvation by Grace Alone: 25 Passages

Last updated on: April 30, 2026 at 12:25 pm by Dave Armstrong

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Salvation by Grace Alone: 25 Passages 2026-04-30T12:25:11-04:00 Dave Armstrong

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Contra Works-Salvation, or Pelagianism, or Semi-Pelagianism

Photo credit: Saint Paul Writing His Epistles (c. 1618-1620); attributed to Valentin de Boulogne (1591-1632) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons]

Catholics do not believe that they are saved by works. We believe salvation is brought about by God’s grace, that we cooperate with, after regeneration and initial justification, leading to an authentic faith – not faith alone — that organically includes good works within itself (“faith was completed by works”; “faith apart from works is dead”: James 2:22, 26). That said, we completely agree with Protestants with regard to the biblical data on grace alone: by which we are ultimately saved. I think it’s great to have unity when we can. Here are twenty-five passages (RSV):

John 1:16 And from his fulness have we all received, grace upon grace.

Acts 15:11 . . . we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus . . .

Acts 18:27 . . . those who through grace had believed,

Acts 20:24 . . . the gospel of the grace of God.

Romans 3:24 they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,

Romans 4:16 . . . it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace . . .

Romans 5:2 Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

Romans 5:17 If, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:20-21 Law came in, to increase the trespass; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, [21] so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:14-15 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. [15] What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

Romans 11:5-6 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

Galatians 1:6 . . . him who called you in the grace of Christ . . .

Galatians 1:15 . . . he who had set me apart before I was born, . . . called me through his grace,

Galatians 2:21 I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification were through the law, then Christ died to no purpose.

Galatians 5:4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

Ephesians 1:6-7 to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. [7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Ephesians 2:7-9 that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God — [9] not because of works, lest any man should boast.

2 Thessalonians 2:16 God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

2 Timothy 1:9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago,

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men,

Titus 3:7 so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

1 Peter 3:7 . . . you are joint heirs of the grace of life, . . .

1 Peter 5:12 . . . this is the true grace of God; stand fast in it.

*****

Photo credit: Saint Paul Writing His Epistles (c. 1618-1620); attributed to Valentin de Boulogne (1591-1632) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons]

Summary: I collect 25 New Testament passages about justification and salvation by grace alone. Contrary to widespread misconceptions, Catholics agree with Protestants on this.

[3 pages]

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