Can human works or religious activities accomplish justification by faith and the death of the old Adam?
No human works or religious activities can accomplish justification by faith or the death of the old Adam. Church membership, baptism, sacraments, elements, and every human endeavor cannot do what Paul teaches. Only the work of the Creator God Himself can accomplish it; works cannot.
Les explains that no human endeavor can do what is being accomplished in these two or three chapters. He says no amount of works, church memberships, baptisms, sacraments, elements, or anything else can do what Paul is teaching in justification by faith and in putting old Adam to death. Works cannot do that; it has to be the work of the Creator God Himself. Les notes most people think they must do something, but this teaching is foreign to that thinking. He contrasts serving old Adam, which brings spiritual death, with obeying God’s grace and enjoying righteousness and right standing with God now and for all eternity. It is either/or.