What does the Bible mean by works in salvation?
Scripture defines works in salvation as anything a person does in the energy of the flesh to merit heaven. Examples include joining a church, walking an aisle, or giving and tithing to buy one's way in. Such works never save; justification comes by faith, not by what you do.
Les explains that when Scripture says a person is not justified by works, “works” means anything you can do in the energy of the flesh—anything you think you must do to merit heaven. He says you can start enumerating them: joining a church is a work, and joining the church never saved anybody. Walking an aisle to make a profession of faith is also a work; the aisle itself does not bring salvation. Giving and tithing can become works when a person thinks that by giving enough they can buy their way into heaven. Les points out that Paul repeats “being justified by faith” over and over to drive home that salvation is not by what you do. The contrast is between fleshly effort to merit heaven and being justified by faith.