Sadly, there are many who are ignorant of Scripture. A lot of religions - not just Christian-flavored ones - are based upon the person needing to merit or deserve the positive endgame. It could be heaven, Nirvana or Happy-Hunting-Grounds, but you must be worthy through your own efforts to get there. Some of them even say you have to go through multiple lives! The glorious Gospel of true Christianity is that you cannot POSSIBLY earn, deserve or merit eternity in heaven with Almighty God and that is why it is by grace through faith that we are saved. It is the GIFT of God, not by works lest anyone should boast. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. He bore all our sins upon the cross and by His suffering and death, He made propitiation for our sins and we are found IN Him having HIS righteousness and not our own. That same grace keeps us saved because it was never based upon our works in the first place!
I don't understand why some don't get it that it doesn't matter if you say we are saved by grace but kept by works or you are saved by your works are actually saying the SAME thing. When you add ANYTHING that we do into the equation, you are negating grace.
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. (Romans 11:6)
Romans 5 in the Greek really drives home the point that it is God Who saves us.....nothing we contribute to our salvation.
Amazingly; this was the main subject in SS class today!